In Canoga Park, Six Places Where Mold Remediation Could Be Needed

7/24/2022 (Permalink)

If you’ve spotted mold in your home it needs to be dealt with fast and efficiently. Call SERVPRO for professional remediation and mitigation services.

Why SERVPRO for Mold Damage Remediation in Your Home

Mold remediation in Canoga Park is the outcome when too much water or moisture contacts a food source offering mold spores opportunities to colonize into a problem.

Though mold growth is less of an issue in this part of southern California, it is still an economically impactful occurrence. SERVPRO points out that mold proliferation in Canoga Park can lead to material damage to the structure and possible health effects to the residents if left untreated. Diligently inspecting the hot spots for mold growth can mitigate the chances of having to call SERVPRO for mold removal and sanitization of your property.

• Bathroom. It is easy for mold to thrive in your bathroom because this is a region of the property where a high amount of moisture is produced. Mold can grow in several bathroom settings, including the ceilings, walls, shower curtains, wet towels, toilet, and sink.
• Tiny leaks behind the fridge in the ice-maker water line, near the dishwasher with temperature variations, and under the sink can create the moist environment necessary for mold growth.
• Poor seals allow moisture and condensation on window panes if relative humidity (RH) is too high inside the structure. Molds can thrive near the edges of wood or metal-framed windows. The condensation will typically accumulate on the frames and sills of your windows. When left unchecked, mold can start to grow.
• Substandard insulation allows higher temperatures that will raise the RH. Attics with roof leaks, poor ventilation, or drain tile issues are susceptible to undetected mold growth.
• Exposure to moisture from leaks, overflowing water from plants, floor cracks, or floods. Quick suction action may prevent discarding of the carpet and padding.
• Laundry Room. Washing machine leaks from supply lines or the drainage line are common. Periodically replace these. A clothes dryer with clogged filters from lint will not dissipate the heat properly, causing insufficient drying time, wasted electricity, and higher ambient RH.

Why Choose SERVPRO for mold remediation services?

A significant mold infestation must be dealt with safely by wearing protective clothing and gear. Containment is crucial to prevent spores from circulating throughout the structure. We utilize specialized industrial-grade equipment such as negative air pressure machines, dehumidifiers, air movers, air scrubbers, and fogging machines. The result is no musty odor and a sanitized, safe home. The SERVPRO professional technicians are corporate trained and acquire IICRC certification in many aspects of cleaning and mold removal techniques. Call us for a complimentary mold inspection.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills uses advanced mold remediation techniques and equipment. Our advanced equipment helps to detect and stop the source of water feeding the mold in Canoga Park. We then isolate the affected area using a negative air pressure chamber. We are proud to serve the communities of Canoga Park and West Hills with 24/7 service. Call us. (818) 998-1500

Canoga Park Fire Damage Advice

7/24/2022 (Permalink)

After a fire in your home, you need to deal with the fire damage immediately. SERVPRO technicians are here to help. Contact us 24/7.

SERVPRO Can Adeptly Restore Your Canoga Park Fire Damaged Home

Although many people believe that their homes are safe from fire, nothing could be further from the truth. Canoga Park fire damage can occur at your property at any moment. Being prepared to grapple with the aftermath of an intense fire damaging event can be intimidating and heart-wrenching. To ensure that your property is not destroyed or subjected to severe damage following a fire, quickly hire a professional fire damage restoration service. SERVPRO points out some benefits that result from taking this course of action:

Preventing Future Health Challenges

One great benefit of securing a professional fire damage restoration company in Canoga Park like SERVPRO is quickly addressing the ambient air issues post-fire. Unfortunately, soot and smoke can adversely impact all areas of your home via the HVAC system. Though the flames and the fire damage may be localized, smoke and soot can be all invasive. The ambient air of your home may be compromised, necessitating professional know-how and equipment to render it once again safe and sanitary.

Property Restoration

Hiring a professional fire damage company is necessary for the comprehensive property restoration services they can offer. Unfortunately, the smoke, heat, and flames of the fire can do severe damage to your belongings and property. In some cases, your home may become structurally unsound following the fire, thereby making your property unsafe for occupying. Professional fire damage experts from SERVPRO correct this issue by working with both you and your insurance provider, upon both your approval, to restore the property. This cooperation helps you with your claim, limits out-of-pocket expenses, and expedites the fire damage restoration process. 

Water Removal and Water Damage Repair

When firefighters come to your property to put the fire out, they'll flood your home with water. This water can cause a lot of property damage unless you hire a team of experts to initiate rapid water extraction. For example, standing water can cause mold and mildew growth or create secondary water damage to structural materials and personal possessions. By utilizing heavy-duty water pumps, wet vacs, sump pumps, air movers, and dehumidifiers, we can quickly remove excess water and moisture. 

Although fires can destroy some of your belongings and property, quick and comprehensive fire damage restoration efforts can mitigate the losses. Call the professional, IICRC-certified technicians of SERVPRO. We'll work with speed and skill to restore your property to its preloss condition in an empathetic and economical manner.

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Every fire damage situation is a little different and requires a unique solution. When various materials burn, the soot they create differs significantly and requires a specific cleaning procedure. Learn more about our fire damage restoration process. SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills is proud to serve our local communities of Canoga Park, West Hills, and Bell Canyon with all water, mold, and fire damage needs. Call us 24/7 for help at (818) 998-1500.

Why Water Damage Repair Is an Emergency for Canoga Park Businesses

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO's timely handling of commercial water damage is the best approach to minimize damage.

SERVPRO Intervenes After Water Damage in Canoga Park

Compared to something like a fire, you may not consider water intrusion a significant property disaster. However, the seemingly benign incident can have dire implications for your Canoga Park business. You should consider water damage repair an emergency procedure since the leak source might still be active, and the deterioration moisture triggers in a structure worsen over time. 

Timely handling of water damage repair at your Canoga Park premises is the best approach to manage the emergency imposed by such incidents. Early action halts the microbial development and material deterioration that moisture triggers. It is also easier to limit the impact of an active intrusion source when you respond in time. SERVPRO can send a team to your location to counter the worst effects of water.

Notable things about water damage:

• The damage worsens over time
• Direct and indirect damage is possible
• Water intrusion can originate from several sources

Wetness is an enemy against many materials, whether wood, fabric, or even metal since it causes swelling, fiber weakening, and corrosion. If you can limit the time materials are exposed, it is possible to minimize damages.

Severe moisture problems

The outcome can be dire if you ignore or fail to discover some water. You may notice visual changes like water spots and stains on surfaces that immediately ruin your workplace's ambiance. Structural changes like warping and rot are also likely, limiting the utility of your premises. For instance, you cannot use pallets in your storage areas if the wood is rotten and doors may not seal shut if the frames are warped. Our SERVPRO technicians work to help you avoid such severe outcomes.

Helpful actions:

• Cleaning
• Thorough water extraction
• Elaborate moisture control
• Application of biocides and deodorization

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills has great insight on water-related problems in properties and works diligently to ensure water damage repair restores preloss conditions. You can reach us at (818) 998-1500. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

How to Handle Water Damage Odors in Canoga Park

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

Water Drops Lead to Water Damage in Canoga Park Properties--Call SERVPRO for Restoration

Preserving Belongings, Structures, and Air Quality Are Factors in Restoration and Cleanup Post Leaks and Floods

When combating water damage, there are so many different areas that you need to deal with appropriately. If you have had past experiences with such issues, you probably know it can be very challenging, and that is why you need professionals to help you. Canoga Park is prone to water damage, and you should be familiar with the necessary steps you need to take.

While dealing with water damage in Canoga Park, you must ask yourself one simple question. How clean is clean?

There are three levels of cleanliness: sanitary, disinfected, and sterile clean. Achieving a sterile environment is challenging, and only hospital operating rooms usually manage to reach this pure state. On the other hand, sanitary clean is always viewed as the most appropriate state, but it is not ideal. What you need to achieve after experiencing water damage is disinfected clean. At that level, 99% of all contamination is absent. 

At SERVPRO, we achieve a disinfected level of cleanliness by using state-of-the-art technology and appropriate chemicals while deodorizing and combating smells. When tackling odors, the first step is identifying and removing the source. Although it sounds simple enough, it can be very complicated when you fail to recognize the source. You may also manage to detect the smell but not be in a position to know how exactly to do away with the odor. Thermal fogging, ozone machines, and hydroxyl generators are some of the equipment used by SERVPRO to reach these ends.

You also need the right technology to ensure your residence is completely dry. We use air movers, dehumidifiers, and so much more to accomplish the cleanliness state that you deserve. Air moving equipment requires professional handling, and that is what you get when you hire experts. At SERVPRO, our goal is to dry your home to preloss condition and remove as many bacteria, pathogens, mold spores, and other organisms as possible. 

SERVPRO of Canoga Park/ West Hills is an excellent choice when you need to combat smells during water damage. Call us at (818) 998-1500 to get quality water damage service and highly qualified staff to tend to your every need.

What To Do and Avoid When Dealing With Mold Damage In Winnetka Homes

6/20/2022 (Permalink)

When mold develops in Winnetka, remediate with SERVPRO, not bleach

Professional Mold Remediation is the Answer to Secure Your Property

There are many things to check, repair, and keep in shape when you are a homeowner. Caring for your Winnetka home is very satisfying, and naturally, you want to deal with any problems as soon as they arise to keep your home safe and pleasant for you and your family. One problem that most householders face at some point is fungal growth. Mold damage is usually easy to spot, thanks to the tell-tale black and green patches and musty smell. What is not always easy is knowing what to do when you find it. Thankfully, SERVPRO is here to help. 

We understand that you do not want mold damage in your Winnetka home, and so, of course, if you spot the fungus, you want to get rid of it straight away. That is why we have put together this handy short list of what to do and avoid when you see signs of fungus in your house. 

Do not use a fan in mold-infested areas. We have heard rumors of people using fans to try and disperse mold, and it is enough to give any remediation expert nightmares! Fans blow the microscopic mold spores into the air, making it easier for them to travel and start new colonies. 

Do not use bleach or other chemicals. Sometimes using bleach or other chemicals makes the problem worse – it is far better to talk to a remediation expert. The water in the bleach can feed the colonies with fresh moisture. The hyphae (roots) of mold are typically not affected by the disinfecting qualities of bleach.

Do not focus on killing the mold. It is challenging to exterminate fungus; in most cases, it merely goes dormant and can “wake up” again when conditions are right. 

So what should you do? The best thing is to call SERVPRO. Professional mold remediation is more efficient than DIY efforts. We equip our IICRC-certified experts with protective clothing and respirators so they can handle fungal growth safely. We have the equipment needed to set up containment and vent contaminated air, which is much more efficient than merely wiping. 

For help with mold problems in Winnetka, Bell Canyon, West Hills and surrounding areas, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 today.

Fast Action Is Required When Mold Is Located In Your Canoga Park Property

5/20/2022 (Permalink)

Make sure to maintain your HVAC system to stop the possible spread of mold. Team SERVPRO will investigate the situation and remediate the mold damage.

What Can Happen Without Early Action For Mold Damage In Canoga Park

We urge everyone in Canoga Park with mold damage in their home to call SERVPRO sooner rather than later. Otherwise, mold can grow and spread around the house and become an even greater problem. In some cases, homeowners may see visible growth die and fade and think that their worries are over, only to later discover a much more serious colony growing elsewhere. Getting us on the scene ensures that any hidden patches of growth can be found and that none of these severe complications result.

Mold In HVAC Systems

One of the most common places our experts find mold damage in Canoga Park homes is the HVAC system. Because all the air in the house circulates through a few enclosed, dark spaces, airborne mold spores can accumulate on filters, corners, and debris in the system. The only way you are likely to find out about growth here is through your nose, as the odors from any infestations in the HVAC system are likely to spread around the house quickly. Our technicians are experts at finding and removing mold colonies here and are fully HVAC certified.

Behind Walls And Below Floors

Spores are microscopic and can easily penetrate even the tiniest cracks and openings in your walls and floors. Once below the surface, they may find a dark, warm, and food-rich environment to grow. In many cases, these infestations grow to an incredible size before any visible mold appears in the home. As part of our standard inspections, we use moisture detection technology to identify potential colonies hidden behind the surfaces of your home.

Quarantines

In some cases, the mold damage may be so extensive as to require a quarantine. Usually, only a room or section of the house gets cut off, but that depends on how severe the infestation is. Quarantines are done to contain the damage and prevent it from spreading any further, but are also a safety precaution, as mold damage can cause health effects. Calling SERVPRO at the first sign of mold damage is the best way to avoid quarantines entirely.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is ready on a 24/7 basis to help your home deal with mold damage crises large and small. Just call us at (818) 998-1500.

What Is a Flood Damage Drying Goal for Canoga Park Homes?

5/20/2022 (Permalink)

Flooding and subsequent flood damage can certainly take you by surprise. React quickly with a quick call to SERVPRO. Our technicians are standing by.

Thoroughly Drying Flood Damage in Canoga Park

Setting specific goals for our technicians is an essential element in keeping a customer or property manager informed about progress and anticipated milestones. While emergency services are among the most vital efforts that we begin after flood loss events to prevent worsening conditions in the property, our production management also gets to work in key areas like:

• Scoping
• Cost Estimates
• Restoration Timeline
• Recovery Milestones

Pre-Loss Condition

When addressing flood damage in Canoga Park homes, it is necessary to consider the baseline restoration starts from against the goal. In all recovery projects our professionals undertake, we seek to return homes and businesses to preloss conditions. This effort and planning could mean extraction, drying, surface cleaning, controlled demolition, and repairs before the residence returns to normal for flooding.

Thorough Drying Solutions

Setting a drying goal means designing a specific timeline for the machines and units used in evaporating surface moisture and eliminating humidity in the environment. Lower relative humidity in the structure makes cleanup and drying more consistent and efficient. We use a combination of air movers to achieve the intended elimination of a cool air barrier and continued drying of moist building materials.

Repairs and Build-Back

A drying goal also helps homeowners know when to expect their house reconstruction to start. Flooding can often require the controlled demolition of flooring and wall systems directly exposed to contaminants, so the home is in disarray while the earliest restoration processes get started. Firm goals help ease homeowners' concerns, so they know when things will truly be "Like it never even happened."

When you contend with flood damage in your home, it is difficult to envision how the restoration process can rapidly return your property to its original state. Our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills team appreciates the urgency of these situations and is ready to respond fast when you call (818) 998-1500. 

Get Rid Of Your Fire Damage Problems In West Hills Once And For All

5/20/2022 (Permalink)

Regardless of the extent of the fire damage, team SERVPRO can help. Contact our certified technicians 24/7 for effective remediation services.

Remediating Fire Damage In West Hills

There is never just one type of debris or residue left after a West Hills home fire. That is because the fire burns at different speeds, destroying dozens or even hundreds of types of materials. Both of these factors generate many types of residues that make cleaning and restoring property more difficult.

These two factors and more determine the level of fire damage to West Hills homes. For SERVPRO technicians, the damage level also helps us determine which methods and tools we use to reduce and eliminate the effects, returning each home to its original condition before the fire took place.

The lowest level of damage is, obviously, minor. Here, most of the damage remains close to the source of the fire and does not spread through the entire home. The residues it leaves behind are considered light-to-moderate and easily cleaned from furniture, walls, and ceilings using sponges and mild cleaners for the most part. The residues also generate fairly mild odors, and technicians remove them with the residues. Some minor repainting may be required, and items like books may need replacing.

Medium damage requires SERVPRO IICRC-certified technicians to use stronger cleaners and dispose of more property. Residues from smoke and soot are thicker, spread farther into the home, and require more effort to remove. They also generate stronger odors. Items like marble countertops may require a stiff brush to break up the residues so technicians can clean them from the grout and other surfaces. At this level, there is enough damage from heat and flames to force removing building material like drywall panels and ceiling tiles.

Heat and flames make up a much larger part of major damage, however. The fire burns through the panels and tiles to reach the framing behind them. The heat becomes so intense that curtains can burn completely and windows shatter. If the fire reaches high enough, it can damage the roof and even compromise the support structure holding it up. Damage this severe often requires our restoration teams to board up broken windows and even doors to prevent secondary damage, trespassing, and vandalism.

Restoring your home after a fire is difficult and can be expensive. At SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills, our goal is to remediate the effects of a fire no matter the level of damage. If you are dealing with the results of this summer’s fires, contact us at (818) 998-1500 to schedule an appointment and start returning your home to its original condition.

Speedy Turnaround Restores West Hills Dry Cleaners Water Damage

4/18/2022 (Permalink)

Dry cleaners facing water damage need immediate restoration efforts by qualified technicians. Should your dry cleaners suffer damage, contact SERVPRO.

Our Technicians Assess and Remediate Your Business Property Thoroughly to Prevent Secondary Damages

Businesses that take in their customer's personal property to repair, service, or clean are in a difficult situation when water damages their premises. Not only does the structure of your retail space require restoration, but the items entrusted to your care must not be further harmed by water invasion. Our full-service disaster recovery approach balances the needs of both your building and its contents. 

Your family business offers dry cleaning and laundry services to community members. Commercial water damage in West Hills from a break in a hot water pipe saturates walls and threatens the completed orders hanging in wait for your customers. You need a fast response from our skilled team of water damage mitigation specialists. 

Even though your customers' rugs, linens, and clothing seem out of harm's way, the moisture soaked into the walls and floors of your commercial building needs drying swiftly. Additional problems are quick to develop if the moisture levels in the air and the structure remains high. Common collateral water damage issues include mold growth and lingering odors, which cannot impact your customer's belongings without severe consequences. SERVPRO’s IICRC trained crews find and arrange to repair the leak and remove standing water with powerful truck-mounted pumps and extractors. 

Our technicians are trained to measure and monitor humidity and moisture levels within the interior of your business. The advanced courses SERVPRO requires workers to prepare our crews to employ effective strategies that swiftly reduce ambient humidity and dry out structures and fixtures. Mold spores need only a source of moisture and surfaces or articles made of organic materials to develop into invasive colonies. Humidity levels of over 60 percent are enough to encourage mold growth, and clothing and household goods made from fabrics provide nourishment to support microbial infestations. 

SERVPRO invests in practical and professional equipment and worker training, and the combination of technicians and tools stops water damage in its tracks and avoids secondary issues. Industrial strength air movers and desiccant dehumidifiers speed the drying of surfaces and greatly minimize high humidity levels, protecting your customer's property. 

When water threatens your building and its contents, call us at (818) 998-1500. SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is ready 24/7 to transform wet and damaged to dry and restored.

Canoga Park Homes Get Back to Normal Fast with Fire Restoration

4/18/2022 (Permalink)

Most house fire cleanup projects involve some level of reconstruction.

SERVPRO Helps Canoga Park Residents with Skilled Fire Restoration Efforts

Of all potential home emergencies you could encounter, fire is one that Canoga Park residents fear most. Whenever you have a fire in your home, big or small, it is how you begin picking up the pieces that dictate the result. SERVPRO is there to make it “Like it never even happened.” With our proven methods and knowledgeable team of fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT), we are the asset you want on your side to bring your property back to pre-fire condition.

Our SERVPRO technicians bring all the top industry equipment to each fire restoration project in Canoga Park. Our proven processes help us restore fire-damaged homes faster, and we have vital tools and equipment that make it easier for our techs to get the job done right the first time. Some of the equipment we use to battle stubborn smoke odors include:

• Air scrubber machinery with on-board HEPA filtration to pull tiny odor particles from the air.
• Ultra-low volume (ULV) foggers that put out vaporized deodorant solutions to rid large areas of pungent odors.
• Cleaning solvents that can get applied to textiles, metals, and wood to clean and deodorize various surfaces. NOTE: Our technicians always pre-test different surfaces and materials to avoid possible damage during the cleaning process.

Trusted Contractors Make a World of Difference

Most house fire cleanup projects involve some level of reconstruction. SERVPRO uses trusted area contractors to perform controlled demolition wherever unsalvageable materials call for total replacement. We ensure everything gets handled, from new drywall installation and fixtures to structural elements, so that you can step back into life as usual in your home.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills wants you to know we are your team when fire restoration is required. Get help online or give us a call at (818) 998-1500 to mobilize a crew to your property.

How To Clean Soft Furnishings After Mold Damage in Canoga Park

4/18/2022 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO for Mold Removal from Clothing and Soft Fabrics

SERVPRO Provides Solutions for Mold Remediation to Clothing and Homes

Mold damage is insidious and often happens unnoticed, at least at first. The fungus can grow anywhere there is moisture and a food source such as drywall or cotton. Outbreaks usually occur in damp areas such as the kitchen, basement, or laundry room. However, mold grows anywhere with the right conditions, which means it can appear anywhere in Canoga Park homes.

SERVPRO understands that one of the biggest concerns about mold damage in Canoga Park is the risk to soft furnishings. Spores can settle on items such as drapes, rugs, and bedding. Immediate cleaning is necessary, or things might not be salvageable. 

It is tempting to put articles in the washer when mold damage occurs or try scrubbing with cleaning fluids. However, washing and scrubbing are not always effective against mold, especially on soft or porous materials. 

SERVPRO customers sometimes ask if they should send mold-damaged items to their local dry cleaner. Or IICRC trained techs recommend people be very cautious about where they send their items for cleaning. That is why it is good to wait until you have spoken to one of our trained representatives. We help ascertain what is salvageable and what is not and advise you on the best steps to take. 

In many cases, the most efficient course of action is to send soft furnishings to our off-site cleaning facility, where we undertake cleaning using the patented Esporta wash system. The Esporta system is based on powerful hydraulic technology, which is comparable to the force of waves crashing on a beach. The hydraulic motion forces compounds such as fungi out of material, leaving it clean once more. Esporta states that their systems typically restore 90% of soft furnishings that have suffered mold damage. 

If sending items to our cleaning facility is not the right option for you, we may advise you on which local dry cleaner to choose for the best results. 

While our facility staff is cleaning your items, we set to work wiping, scrubbing, and dehumidifying affected areas in your home to remove visible mold and reduce the risk of regrowth.

For help with fungal growth in Canoga Park, West Hills, and surrounding areas, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

SERVPRO - Restoring Flood Damage Effects in Canoga Park

3/15/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is available 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year to restore your flood damage.

SERVPRO Can Restore Canoga Park Homes from Flood Damage 

At 76 years old, Canoga Park is one of the younger cities in our area. It is diverse regarding population, economics, and many other factors that make it a jewel of the San Fernando Valley. Most of the homes are new compared to other parts of California, but that does not stop in-home disasters from happening. 

Despite the nearby Chatsworth Reservoir and other sources, flood damage in Canoga Park comes primarily from failed plumbing. SERVPRO knows well that connections and faucets wear out from years of use and appliances past their manufacturing life cause millions in repair and replacement costs annually. 

One of the most common issues we deal with is a dishwasher and its supply hose. Even the most energy-efficient model uses 4 gallons for each load of dishes, so when one fails, it is the equivalent of pouring out four large containers across a kitchen floor over a few minutes. The water runs everywhere, and unless the homeowner is present when the incident happens, it spreads quickly to dining and living rooms. Since the detergent used to clean dishes is much stronger and more caustic than used in carpet cleaners, SERVPRO technicians remove the water as quickly as possible. We then use our carpet shampoo and a steamer to remove the detergent before harming the carpet fibers or the laminate underneath. 

When the problem is the water supply hose, the first problem we have to deal with is stopping the flow. If the homeowner does not know where their cut-off valve is, we turn off the water to the home before walking inside. With the flow turned interrupted, we pulled out the dishwasher and replaced the ruptured hose and connections. 

Since this is clean water, we do not have to be concerned about caustic soap, but the sheer amount of water can flood the entire first floor of a home in just a couple of hours. If the residents are gone when the hose ruptures, they may find water flowing out from under their front door when they come home. 

Using pumps and water extraction wands, SERVPRO can remove this water from most homes in less than a day. For larger homes like mini mansions, it may take two or three days, depending on the square footage and type of carpets.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

Whether the damage is from a dishwasher, burst pipe, or a flash flood, SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is here to help. To find out more about what we can do for you or schedule an appointment, call us today at (818) 998-1500.

A Guide to Performing Water Damage Repair in Canoga Park

3/15/2022 (Permalink)

Leaking pipes are a leading cause of water damage. SERVPRO is always available to restore your home.

Water Damage Repair in Canoga Park is Easier with SERVPRO's Help

After a pipe burst, my home has water damage, and I need immediate assistance. Which firm has proper water damage repair skills and equipment to restore my property?

Hiring SERVPRO is the right decision to make when you need water damage repair services in Canoga Park. Our technicians respond quickly to begin water damage restoration before a residence incurs too much damage. Mold infestation is one of the greatest fears after water damage. It is not easily noticeable and can cause health effects to you and your family.

Potentially harmful bacteria may also develop in a water-damaged environment. Our SERVPRO technicians can recognize potential risks and take the following measures to bring things back to normal:

• Water removal
• Drying
• Disinfection
• Reconstruction
• Water removal
  

Our team can inspect the ruined areas and then use pumps or wet/dry vacuums to remove all the standing water on your property. We can also attach stationary tools to extraction equipment. These devices can expel water from carpets and pads using only the restoration professional's weight standing upon them. A vacuum system is attached to the stationary tool, and it pulls water through a series of small holes in the base of the unit.

Drying

After removing the water, we begin the drying process. We dry all the affected surfaces effectively using air moving and dehumidifying equipment. Our restorers monitor each phase of the drying process to ensure that proper drying takes place. We can provide moisture maps, document moisture levels, and photograph drying for your insurer.

Disinfection

Our SERVPRO restoration team can clean and use disinfectants to disinfect all the affected structures and contents to eliminate contaminants from stagnant water.

Reconstruction 

If the water damaged walls or floors, we could reconstruct them. We are a full-service restoration firm.

When water damage happens in your home, you can trust SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills to restore it as quickly as possible. Call us anytime at (818) 998-1500.

Cleaning Fire Damage in West Hills

3/4/2022 (Permalink)

Team SERVPRO is standing by 24/7, ready to help with effective fire damage remediation services after a fire. Our technicians are ready to help.

SERVPRO’s Fire Damage Cleaning Techniques

Restoring and cleaning West Hills property after a fire is cheaper than replacing it. Insurance companies prefer this option and insist on an inspection to determine the cost before signing off to replace large furniture items like sofas and recliners.

A professional remediation company is needed to ensure restoration to a West Hills home after fire damage is accomplished right the first time. SERVPRO is one of the oldest companies in California to offer these services. Our experience over the years has developed into six primary methods for cleaning property depending on how severe the damage might be.

Dry Cleaning (Wiping) – This method removes light to medium, non-greasy soils. It also works as a pre-cleaning method to remove excess residues before wet cleaning (wiping). The response team uses dusting cloths and feather dusters on these dry particles. For heavier soils, they may switch to vacuums and dry sponges.

Wet Cleaning (Wiping) – An effective method for removing moderate to heavy smoke and soot residues. SERVPRO team members use water to saturate surfaces while cleaning. For thicker residues, they mix cleaning agents into the water. Cloths and sponges are used to apply water and agents before wiping off the residue.

Spray and Wipe – This is another wet method, but technicians use a spray bottle for the application instead of saturation. It gives technicians more control and is a better method on fabrics when there is a risk of the color running by using too much water or a cleaning agent.

Foam Cleaning – We use a pump-up spray bottle with this method to force air into the cleaning solution before spraying it onto a stain. It places the cleaning solution onto the stain without using too much liquid and on fabrics that are at risk for shrinking with other methods such as upholstery material. A technician creates foam in a small container on small areas and then applies it using a small brush.

Abrasive Cleaning – Our IICRC-certified technicians use this method on rough surfaces like rock or more complex types of marble. They work in a thick liquid using scrubbing pads, a wire brush, or steel wool.

Immersion Cleaning – We use this last method on items with very heavy residues. Technicians lower the property into a tank containing a cleaning solution, and then high-frequency sound waves are used to force bubbles through it. It agitates the item without using a scrubbing device. It is a handy method for items like Venetian blinds.

Cleaning and restoring your property is not a quick process. It is one that SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills has been performing for decades and continues to support our neighbors. If you need us, call (818) 998-1500 today to schedule an appointment.

Is It Safe to Return to Work in Canoga Park after a Premises Fire?

2/25/2022 (Permalink)

When your business suffers from a fire, it’s time to bring in the professionals. Call our technicians for effective fire damage remediation services.

SERVPRO Can Return Indoor Air Quality to a Clean Standard with Commercial Fire Damage Restoration

Commercial spaces can fall victim to fire. As a premises manager, it can be tough to know when the environment is safe for staff or customers to return. Fires release thousands of chemicals and compounds in a gas form that can be unsanitary, cause odors, or leave the particulate matter in the air. Any technician working on the site of a recent fire must wear a medical-grade- n95 or higher- respiratory mask to protect themselves from particulate matter, dust, or gases in the air. It is essential then that indoor air quality is managed to a professional standard before staff or customers return to work in the environment. SERVPRO can help your business with:

• Warehouse fires
• Electrical fires
• Fire restoration

We use advanced air cleaning equipment in most commercial fire damage restoration jobs here in Canoga Park. Air cleaning technology can include things like oZone generators, which release unstable compounds into the air and eliminate odors or gases. However, oZone can be a toxic gas and is generally reserved for extreme situations as the full evacuation of premises, including animals, is necessary before using oZone. One of the preferred alternatives is a hydroxyl generator which is generally safer to use in busy environments. A hydroxyl generator is the tool of choice when working to restore apartments or other properties that may have tenants still in the building.

• Hydroxyl generators use UV-C, a short, ultraviolet light that can destroy odor particles, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and bacteria.
• UV-C generators can sanitize air and remove odor, which is why they are often chosen for commercial projects such as warehouses, tenements, and bars.
• Hydroxyl generators filter indoor air through a chamber that exposes it to UV-C light. The clean air is then returned to the environment. 

Ensure your indoor air quality returns to an acceptable standard following a fire. Contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for commercial fire damage restoration at (818) 998-1500.

Protecting Your Valuables From Extensive Flood Damage When a Storm Hits Canoga Park

2/20/2022 (Permalink)

Flooding can deteriorate the contents and the structure of your home. Contact SERVPRO immediately for efficient remediation services.

Formulating a Plan When You Live in a Flood Prone Area can Help Save Your Property

Apart from the dangers that they present to humans, storm floods leave behind a series of destruction in their wake, ruining buildings, washing away natural landscape features, and demolishing roads. Often, homeowners find themselves dealing with extensive damage to their property. Floods can cause a surprising amount of structural damage to a structure, especially when water finds its way into the house and stays there for a prolonged period.

When the floodwaters recede, the first thing you should do is contact a trusted restoration company to assess the damage. SERVPRO is at your disposal for quick and efficient water damage mitigation services for your Canoga Park property as a locally-based and operated business. We have a team of highly trained, highly experienced technicians with access to advanced tools and equipment, ensuring that the restoration process goes swiftly and smoothly.

The most important thing to remember when faced with any type of flood damage situation is to keep your family safe. Items may be salvageable, and if you take additional measures to protect your most prized documents, family photos, and heirlooms, the loss and devastation can be much less.

You can protect important documents and photos from severe water damage by digitizing them. Today, many storage devices such as USB drives can withstand some level of water damage and are often salvageable. You may also store these items on a portable hard drive and lock the device securely in a safety deposit box. While digital copies are not the same as originals, it is relatively easy to recreate the images to their original state.

If your home is highly prone to flood damage, consider investing in a flood insurance plan. Make a list of all valuable items in your home, and even take photos of the exterior and interior of your home. Keep this list along with your insurance plan in a safe place that is relatively less susceptible to flooding. Consult your insurance agent on what to include in the itemized list.

If you do find yourself with flood damage in the house, the sooner you call a restoration process, the higher the chances of salvaging some of your valuables. As a trusted company in the restoration industry, SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is your best bet against flood damage. For any emergency, call us today at (818) 998-1500.

Essential Considerations for Water Mitigation in Canoga Park Homes

2/6/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO uses the latest technology and equipment for every water damage mitigation service we provide. No matter the size of disaster, we will help.

SERVPRO Sends Highly Trained Water Restoration Technicians to Canoga Park Homes

Water intrusion may seem trivial, especially if the amount involved is not that significant. However, taking any incident at your Canoga Park home lightly can lead to significant problems as the physical damages and inconveniences build-up to unexpected levels.

Appropriately planning the water mitigation at your Canoga Park home is one way to prevent extreme damages. An alternative reason for better planning is to improve convenience after an incident. SERVPRO has significant experience handling such incidents, so it is easier to identify problems and the best solutions.

Some essential things to note when planning water mitigation include:

• Indoor air quality deteriorates in wet properties
• Moisture modifies most materials physically or chemically
• Even clean water can lead to contamination

Water constantly evaporates from wet materials or pools on surfaces at room temperatures, thus driving indoor humidity levels up. Humid air is detrimental to materials and amplifies any smells in the house. Our SERVPRO teams consider such factors when planning the mitigation process.

Well planned water mitigation is segmented into stages, including: 

• Water extraction phase
• Cleaning soiled phase
• Finishing processes

Removing most of the intruding water early enough improves the outcome of water mitigation exercises since it limits the time moisture interacts with materials. Water extraction requires sufficient power. Our SERVPRO technicians use various pumps and accessories such as carpet and squeegee wands to extract water trapped in different house sections. 

Your home needs cleaning after water intrusion. If the intruding water is from an unclean source, it deposits dissolved soils in the property. Alternatively, soils like dust can be swept from hidden areas spreading them over the house. Deterioration such as dyes bleeding or metals rusting also leads to soling. Cleaning takes care of all these issues.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills expertly manages water mitigation exercises restoring properties to their preloss state. You can reach us at (818) 998-1500 when you need assistance. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Things to Replace in Your West Hills House After Fire Damage

1/31/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO IICRC certified fire damage restoration technicians have the training and experience for every size of disaster. We are here to help.

SERVPRO Helps Inspect and Replace Unsalvageable Things in West Hills Homes

Fire is known to cause significant damage to a house within a short period. Some damages such as soiling on various materials can be reversed through cleaning, or refinishing thus saving the material. However, other damages are irreversible, necessitating replacing the affected material for your west hills home to regain its preloss state.

Replacing extensively affected things after fire damage at your West hills home is expected. Doubts only arise when the damage does not seem significant enough to warrant a replacement. One of the advantages of engaging fire restoration technicians from SERVPRO is the expertise in determining what can be salvaged.

Some items you should expect to replace even with slight damages include:

• Electrical installations
• Insulation
• Sensitive appliances

The reasons for these mandatory replacements range from costs to preventing further damage to the property. For example, when walls or ceilings are left intact by the fire, you may not see the need for replacing insulation. However, since smoke moves uninhibited all over a property, it tends to reach even the concealed areas depositing soot and other residues. It is cheaper to replace the top layers of insulation than clean it. 

Appliances might not show any significant problems in the immediate aftermath of a fire. However, the residues inside the item can corrode internal components or cause short circuits. Such appliances are spoiled later and might even cause new fires. Any electronic apparatus that cannot be opened and cleaned should be replaced if exposed to fire to minimize future risks. SERVPRO for specialized cleaning of all exposed electronic appliances in your house.

The electrical system in a house comprises of several things, including:

• Cables
• Lighting fixtures
• Sockets and switches

Fire can damage all or just a few parts of your electrical installation. Since it is impossible to inspect every inch of the cables, our SERVPRO technicians strip off the entire electrical in the affected rooms. 

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills helps identify unsalvageable items after fire damage. Call us at (818) 998-1500 for assistance. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

What to Watch Keenly When Cleaning up Canoga Park Homes After Flood Damage

1/18/2022 (Permalink)

When you need flood and storm damage restoration for your home, SERVPRO should be the only thought for the job. We are here 24/7 365 days a year.

SERVPRO Prioritizes Safety in Canoga Park Homes During Cleaning and Afterwards

After flooding, you have to take several actions to ensure your Canoga Park home is safe. Cleaning is one of the mandatory steps to address soiling and manage contamination. Correctly running a cleaning exercise is essential for better results. It also guarantees safety for everyone involved.

Preparations are necessary before starting cleaning in case of flood damage in a Canoga Park home. Preparation involves different things, including managing the loss site and acquiring resources to facilitate various restoration tasks. Our SERVPRO teams evaluate the level of damage to determine the necessary preparation.

Common steps when preparing a flooded property include:

• Shutting off utilities like gas and electricity
• Setting a staging area for restoration equipment
• Moving contents within the house or relocating them to a different property

Preparation makes it easier to complete cleaning tasks like extracting water and shoveling mud or silt. It also separates unique tasks such as structural and content cleaning. For example, moving items out of the way paves the way for chores like shoveling out silt or pressure washing without soiling contents.

The safety of the cleaning crews and house occupants is critical. In the haste to complete cleaning tasks, it is possible to create many hazards. For example, disorganized hoses and cables from equipment create trip hazards. Alternatively, cleaning might remove visible soils but leave contaminants, thus exposing house occupants to dangerous materials. Our SERVPRO technicians take different measures to rid properties of contamination.

Essential steps in decontaminating a property include:

• Removing all porous materials in contact with floodwater
• Spraying broad spectrum disinfectants inundated areas
• Applying antimicrobials after finishing cleaning

Properly finishing the cleaning process is also essential. Our SERVPRO technicians ensure the property dries fully through dehumidification. We also apply deodorizers to remove any odors.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills cleans your property to sanitary levels after flood damage. Call us at (818) 998-1500. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Water Damage Puts the Damper on the Image of Canoga Park Retailers

1/3/2022 (Permalink)

Water can quickly damage your store from the inventory to musty odors left behind.

SERVPRO Removes Water and Helps Restore a Special Ambience to your Shop

When running a retail store in Canoga Park, many various employees of different levels work together. Cooperation and communication ensure smoothness in operations exists. The absence of this creates problems that can affect customer satisfaction. Managers work hard, putting forth efforts so that harmony among employees is inherent in the workplace. However, other situations may not be easily dealt with and brought back under control.

Retail stores in Canoga Park with commercial water damage can seem dirtier than their competitors. This image stems from the visual impact that the damage can impact on a building's interior walls, ceilings, and even floors and the odor that it can emit into the air.

Musty smells rarely bring up feelings of cleanliness, and stores that experience these adverse conditions often lose consumers who refuse to return. Worse, comments on customers' social media accounts can have similar effects to an explicit boycott.

Water Damage Cleanup

To reverse this negative image, having an all-out face-lift of your store's interior and exterior can strengthen your ties to the community in general and make your place of business the go-to spot for the latest in goods and products once again. We can quickly and easily make this happen for your store, with little time required for closure while we work. By quickly removing the water and moisture, we get the doors back open.

Where architectural details are part of your trademark, we can work with you on preserving such areas with updates or other related improvements that effectively rebrand your store in a positive light. Restoring the rest of your store's environment through repainting of walls and other surfaces, high-detailed cleaning of areas that attract the worst grime, and freshening of carpeted areas. Deodorization with a hydroxyl generator is a highly safe method that is even more effective than ozone. It is so safe that it can occur while people are in the area as deodorization occurs. Odors can be problematic after water or fire damage.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills can revitalize your entire store and improve all levels of post-water damage issues. "Like it never even happened." Call us at (818) 991-6292 now so we can begin to restore your business and your image.

Professional Flood Damage Remediation in West Hills

12/27/2021 (Permalink)

Flooding does happen in our area. SERVPRO is always on call for your flood damage restoration needs.

Steps to Follow When Facing Flood Damage

When flood damage happens to your home, along with the physical and emotional toll the flooding can take on you, it can often be challenging to know what to do next. Instead of trying to do it alone, take a look at the list below of things that will need to be done to restore your home to normal.

When you first experience flood damage in West Hills, you want to contact a professional flood damage repair company, such as SERVPRO. We are the right pick because, on top of having the experience and knowledge you need, we are available 24/7 to assist you in your time of need.

Make sure and turn off all the electricity, as water and electricity do not mix. Even if you think the area is safe, it is better to be safe until a professional can evaluate the situation. You also want to stop the water. If it is possible at all, try and prevent more water from coming into your home. You can place barriers between any gaps in your home and the external water sources, like mats, boards, and other items that could stop the water.

Remove any equipment, furniture, and other items away from the moisture and water. If you cannot move it yourself, you can have a storage company come and relocate it until the water is extracted and your home is dry again. If the furniture has been damaged already by the water, you cannot store it since it will be a mold and mildew growth source. Therefore, choose just the dry furniture.

Flood Damage Restoration Services

All the water and humidity will need to be professionally extracted from your home, which the technicians at SERVPRO can do for you. This includes your furniture, carpets, drywall, and other areas that have been impacted. Some of your possessions may not be salvageable and must be disposed of appropriately. We can help you determine which items can be saved and which ones cannot. Some items we may be able to fix for you, while others could be a potential health hazard and need to be taken out of your home. Flooding can cause damage to many areas in your home, which need repairs include walls, cabinets, furniture, and floors. These items can wind up needing extensive remediation.

Be sure to take pictures and document all the damage to your home from the flooding. This can help you submit a claim to your insurance company, plus help with repairs and restoration. Get in touch with us at SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills as soon as you have flood damage to your home. You can reach us anytime by dialing (818) 998-1500.

Can SERVPRO Handle High Heat Fire Damage Restoration in Canoga Park Homes?

12/20/2021 (Permalink)

Removal of baked-on soot is always a challenge. Our techs bring specific equipment as needed to handle this issue.

SERVPRO Techs Can Perform Housefire Cleanup of Any Size Within Canoga Park Properties

One of the things most Canoga Park property owners notice from a post-house fire is how uneven the damage is within the structure. A significant contributing factor to this outcome is that different materials burn at varying heat levels, which generates a diverse array of heat levels and causes various types of residues. 

When handling fire damage restoration in Canoga Park properties, the techs from SERVPRO have the expertise to recognize whether the smoke damage left behind is from high or low heat and the cleanup applications needed to treat it successfully. Common high heat damages the techs encounter regularly include: 

• Holes in roofing and floors 
• High temp fires can reach 1100 degrees Fahrenheit resulting in soot baked onto surfaces
• The high heat can burn through floor joists making the structure unsafe

The techs make sure the structure is sound before working inside and make the needed temporary repairs to halt further damage, such as tarping over holes in the roof or placing sturdy boards over holes in flooring to increase the safety of the worksite. 

Removal of baked-on soot is always a challenge, and the techs bring specific equipment as needed to handle this issue. One of the most commonly used abatement approaches involves the use of dry. Rather than creating water damage by melting after use, the cooled CO2 pellets are around minus 109 degrees Fahrenheit when they get blasted onto a surface and turn into harmless water vapor after striking it and taking a little soot off at a time without marring the article. 

Canoga Park residents rely on SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for fire damage restoration. The trained technicians bring the latest advanced equipment and methods for the best outcome every time. 

What is the Best Way to Clean Sheetrock with Mold Damage in Canoga Park Properties?

12/6/2021 (Permalink)

Facing a recent mold infestation? Team SERVPRO has tools to investigate the cause and then remediate the mold damage. We are standing by 24/7.

SERVPRO Performs Professional Mold Damage Remediation for Canoga Park Homes and Businesses

The main requirement for a surface to get cleaned during Canoga Park mold remediation is to withstand the cleaning method used. Unfortunately, most porous objects, including sheetrock, are poor candidates for the deep cleaning applications necessary to eradicate visible dried colonies.

SERVPRO brings professional mold damage mitigation to Canoga Park properties. The technicians can inspect the sheetrock and see if it needs removal due to mold growth on the building materials. The goal during the remediation is to remove materials and contents ruined by a mold infestation and bring the interior humidity levels down under 50%, which is unsustainable for mold colonies to survive.

SERVPRO technicians know through their training and years of experience that mold growth is always a sign of a larger issue supporting the infestation. Common reasons for mold growth include unresolved water damage from leaks and poor ventilation retaining humid air.

Once the techs have diagnosed the reason for the mold growth and the areas affected within the home, they work to determine the scale of the infestation and set up containment. Placing plastic barriers over vents and doorways limits the spread of airborne mold spores that could germinate in other areas of the property.

We strive to restore damaged building materials and not replace

If our inspection and visual search indicate that the hyphae (root-like) structures of the mold colonies have not penetrated deeply past the cardboard backing of the drywall, we can use various methods to mechanically remove them. Once the interior humidity levels get brought down through the use of SERVPRO's professional drying equipment, the technicians remove the dried matter left behind using various methods, including: 

• Hand scraping and removing with hand vacs with HEPA filtration
• The use of soda and ice blasting
• Sponge blasting on surfaces that cannot tolerate soda or ice blasting

Canoga Park residents rely on SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for professional mold damage mitigation in both homes and businesses.

Sewage and Water Damage Cleanup in West Hills Homes Needs Professional Care

11/26/2021 (Permalink)

Sewer and toilet backup issues are best handled by professionals. Call SERVPRO to quickly assess the situation and formulate a remediation plan.

SERVPRO Can Extract Hazardous Water in West Hills Properties Safely

Of all the types of damage from water that can affect a West Hills property, sewage-tainted issues are by far one of the most dangerous kinds of mitigation that SERVPRO technicians handle. This type of water carries a rating as a class three biohazard and can hold a variety of bacteria and pathogens with the potential to cause harm or illness.

SERVPRO technicians have decades of experience dealing with sewage-tainted water damage restoration services in West Hills homes. Some of the most common reasons for this type of water in a home come from 

• Toilet backup
• Sewer mainline blockage
• Flooding from groundwater that contains raw sewage    

Scoping the structure is vital to ensure that all home areas get addressed where the water is located. In particular, probes for under flooring and infrared cams that can show temperature changes behind walls are beneficial for ensuring that none of the moisture gets left behind.

The airborne water vapor can be as hazardous as the water within the structure. SERVPRO IICRC-certified technicians wear head-to-toe protective equipment, including respirators, to handle the cleanup in properties with contaminated water and to ensure they do not aspirate anything harmful. Containment around the worksite is another common feature during this type of cleanup. This action halts the potential for cross-contamination within the structure.

The techs use proprietary liquid solutions to treat the water to make it safer to handle during extraction and clean surfaces that come into contact with the water. The three most common agents to see during this type of water damage mitigation include antimicrobial, disinfectants, and sanitizing solutions. 

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at  (818) 998-1500 has the training and professional water damage restoration services to safely handle contaminated water within West Hills properties. The certified techs arrive promptly and make the damage to the home, "Like it never even happened."

Can a Bell Canyon Company Remain Open During Commercial Fire Damage Restoration?

11/21/2021 (Permalink)

Soot can soil both the walls and the contents of your commercial location. Team SERVPRO is available to clean and remediate the fire damage.

SERVPRO Serves Bell Canyon With Professional Commercial Fire Cleanup Services

Even a small amount of fire damage can grind a Bell Canyon business to a halt with problems such as: 

• Soot on walls and ceilings
• Inspection of stored stock for damage
• The need for water cleanup 
• Charred building materials cause odors
• Dangers from damaged structural elements from heat

During fire damage restoration services in Bell Canyon properties, SERVPRO recommends that it is generally best to close the building temporarily because of the potential to transfer soot particles throughout the building and the possibility of soot being an irritant for some people.

SERVPRO technicians thoroughly inspect the furnishings, stock, and other items to see if they can be covered or require a pack-out during the cleanup and restoration. The techs set up cleaning stations to handle non-porous things that can benefit from abrasive or immersive cleaning methods. These actions are some of the most common ways to remove smoke residues.

In the case of data centers or other electronic equipment, both heat and water can cause issues, and these devices should not be tested to avoid the danger of shock or permanent damage. SERVPRO can arrange for an industry professional to inspect the equipment to determine if it is in good working order or requires repairs before bringing it back into the building for reuse.  

Before reopening the building, SERVPRO IICRC-certified technicians do a visual inspection to ensure the structure is sound. The problem areas left behind by the fire have been addressed through either controlled demolition to remove ruined items or restorative cleaning applications. 

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 stands ready to assist Bell Canyon commercial properties with any size and type of fire damage restoration services needed. The trained and certified technicians are on call and willing to help 24/7.

How Can You Tell if Water is Trapped in Your Canoga Park Home?

11/5/2021 (Permalink)

When excess water gets trapped in your walls, damage quickly ensues. Contact SERVPRO to detect and remediate water damage in your home.

Removing Trapped Moisture is Vital to Prevent Losses Like Mold Growth in Canoga Park Properties

Trapped and bound water in your house can ultimately deteriorate hosting building elements and contents. We must respond and react quickly where absorbed moisture is believed to be to prevent this degradation and secondary effects like microbial growth. Restoring the property to its original condition means appreciating where focused drying attention is necessary.

Moisture Detection Tools and Equipment

Identifying where moisture damage exists when we first arrive can be among the vital mitigation steps that improve water restoration in Canoga Park homes. As challenging as trapped moisture can ultimately be, a combination of devices must get used to track the presence of damp pockets and migrating water like thermal imagery, surface meters, and probing moisture detectors.

Flood Cuts and Controlled Demolition

Providing access to the damaged areas of a house can be crucial to improving the restorability of materials. Our general contractor license allows us to complete a range of controlled demolition actions, including flood cuts. Removing several inches of water-damaged drywall and baseboard trim allows for access with our special cavity-drying tools.

Special Equipment for Drying Structural Cavities

While we can drill holes in the drywall behind baseboards for access with special drying equipment, more widespread threats are better overcome by using a combination of powerful drying tools. These promote evaporation and humidity regulation in damaged structural cavities where damp materials exist. Some of the equipment used here includes:

• Positive pressure systems
• Negative pressure systems
• Low-profile centrifugal air movers
• Desiccant dehumidifiers

Whether water damage reaches structural cavities like wall systems, flooring systems, or ceilings, our professionals need to work fast to overcome these concerns. Our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills has several drying tools and mitigating strategies to make it “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at (818) 998-1500.

Three Vital Mitigation Actions for West Hills Homes After Water Damage

10/29/2021 (Permalink)

Regardless of which direction the water came in from, team SERVPRO can help. Contact our technicians 24/7 for effective water removal services.

Mitigating Loss Often Falls to Three Specific Approaches Happening in Damaged West Hills Properties

It is always wise to act fast when water damage occurs. Mitigation can take many forms, and each of these emergency services helps shorten the ultimate restoration and recovery time to a more manageable situation. Emergency services also help to improve the efficiency of specific restoration tasks like:

• Drying
• Deodorization
• Reconstruction
• Mold removal

Removing At-Risk Contents 

Among the first stages of water damage mitigation in West Hills is assessing the threat to exposed contents and personal belongings. Relocation can be a quick and simple step to protect these items when considerable harm is possible. In addition to moving these contents to a new area of the residence, we can also provide focused cleaning and restoration of personal belongings at our nearby SERVPRO facility.

Extracting Standing Surface Water

Another focal point of mitigation after water damages is the need to remove standing water from the house. We have clear extraction plans that use several tools and machines from our industry-leading recovery inventory, such as submersible pumps and vacuums. Surface water elimination protects the exposed flooring and wall system materials.

Controlled Demolition and Repairs 

As leading restoration IICRC-certified professionals in the area, much of our action is intended to prevent the need for tear-out and reconstruction. When these outcomes are inevitable, we have a general contractor license to provide a wealth of build-back services that can help. From controlled demolition to full-scale reconstruction, we can make water damage "Like it never even happened."

Flood and water damage can both be traumatic for the property. Without swift and deliberate action by experienced restoration professionals like our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills team, your home and its belongings can become irreparably damaged by the loss. We are ready to help 24/7 at (818) 998-1500.

Removing Floodwater from Canoga Park Crawlspaces

10/24/2021 (Permalink)

Make sure that flooding doesn’t affect your crawlspace after a storm. Contact team SERVPRO right away should your home be affected.

Clearing Flooding from Underneath Your Canoga Park Residence Protects the Structure and Its Occupants

Flood damage can be among the most threatening situations for area homes, so when these conditions exist, our team needs to arrive quickly to protect the structure and its contents. We have effective mitigation solutions for flooded crawlspaces.

Extraction Solutions Under the House

Removing standing water can be the first step in overcoming flood damage to Canoga Park homes, including the impact on areas like the crawlspace. Pooling stormwater can overwhelm this space beneath the property, making it vital for our SERVPRO team to use water removal tools for natural flooding in our inventory like wet vacuums, truck-mount extractors, and trash pumps.

Drying Prevents Moisture Migration

Effective drying must be a focal point to prevent moisture migration to the living space or the persistent damp conditions facilitating mold growth. Our team has several tools and devices in our recovery inventory to help manage evaporative drying needs. Some of the commonly used tools in these confined spaces include:

• Axial air movers
• Centrifugal air movers
• Desiccant dehumidifiers
• Electric heaters

The Possibilities of Crawlspace Encapsulation

One of the advantages of choosing a team of professionals with a general contractor license is our ability to provide permanent solutions to prevent recurring flood damage. Encapsulation coats walls with thick plastic sheeting and waterproofs the space beneath the house with a combination of water diversion and installed pump systems, if needed.

The crawlspace can be a common place for water and flood damage to occur after natural disasters and fierce storms. With how quickly these conditions can threaten the main living space of the residence, our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills team responds fast to help. Give us a call today at (818) 998-1500.

Your Canoga Park Business Can Be Restored After A Water Damage Incident

10/4/2021 (Permalink)

When water damage affects your business, quick action is what you need. Contact the certified technicians at SERVPRO for effective water removal.

Commercial Water Damage Restoration In Your Canoga Park Business

While it is true that big storms and flooding can cause a great deal of damage to buildings in Canoga Park, there are several other factors that can result in a water emergency in your office building. Small leaks can sometimes create more damage than natural disasters since they happen more often and usually go unnoticed for a long time.

Water leaks in your office building pose a significant threat since there is a large number of people using water fixtures on a daily basis. Leaks in your commercial building lead to the waste of hundreds of gallons per day, significantly increasing your bills each month. Water damage restoration in Canoga Park is needed right away when you find an issue, and SERVPRO staff can make it, so it looks “Like it never even happened.”

One common issue in commercial buildings, especially those with public restrooms, is your toilets. They get much use, and their parts quickly wear out and can let water leaks occur. The malfunctioning parts are not expensive and easy to replace, but if the leak itself is neglected, it can lead to a substantial repair bill. Leaky faucets are another common concern for commercial buildings that usually get overlooked. Similar to the toilet, leaks here are usually the result of worn-out parts, and if they are not replaced, it results in a significant water loss.

A water leak in the bathroom of your office building is an inconvenience at best, and SERVPRO IICRC-certified technicians are careful to work around your employees as you continue your daily operations. We understand that any disruptions can cost you lost hours of work and revenue, so we do our best to work quickly to fix the issue and not cause a distraction.

Water Removal Services

To ensure we can get the job done faster, we use air movers to increase evaporation and lower drying time. Air movers work by creating airflow at the level of the surface, which pushes moisture into the air as vapor, so drier air replaces the wet air. Air movers are made as 1, 2, or 3-speed units, so we always have the right tool available according to the situation.

Plumbing leaks are yet another issue for commercial buildings. Deteriorated sewer lines and broken water supply pipes are the most common of these problems seen and can create extensive water leaks and severe damage. Plus, the sewer lines and piping systems are usually buried underground or found inside the walls, so detecting these leaks is difficult.

When your commercial building in West Hills, Bell Canyon, or Winnetka has a water damage emergency, trust SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills to get to you fast. As soon as you find an issue, get in touch with us by dialing (818) 998-1500, and we can have your building dry again in no time.

Canoga Park, Flooding, SERVPRO, a Great Cleanup!!

10/1/2021 (Permalink)

Facing flooding in your home? Team SERVPRO can help with knowledgeable technicians and water removal equipment to tackle the job.

Mitigating Groundwater Flood Damage in a Canoga Park Home

With the coming of spring, California's rainy season is drawing to a close until fall, but unexpected storms and rising water levels from Bell Creek or the Los Angeles River can give homeowners quite the headache when they find their floors flooded with groundwater.

If you come home from work to find groundwater flood damage in your Canoga Park home, certified SERVPRO technicians are ready to respond to your emergency, extricate the water, and restore your home to its pre-flood condition to prevent structural damage and mold proliferation. "Like it never even happened."

Water Damage Restoration

While floodwater does not often need extraction by the time your SERVPRO team arrives, that does not mean the water has left your home entirely. Instead, porous surfaces such as carpet, wood, and drywall have absorbed groundwater. Groundwater flooding is referred to as black water, as the chances of contamination from materials such as sewage are high. With a homeowner's permission, our professionals can move right to moving and blocking intact furniture as well as removing ruined furniture to prevent further damage to your possessions.

Moisture sensors are used to evaluate the moisture-wicking by sheetrock or drywall. Because the absorption properties of these materials work against gravity, our team makes flood cuts six inches above the highest reaches of moisture accumulation to facilitate drying and mold prevention. Industrial-grade air movers and dehumidifiers are positioned and utilized in tandem to pull moisture out of walls and flooring, while dry air soaks up this moisture like a sponge. Antimicrobial cleaners are also used to cleanse surfaces after drying to ensure extra protection against mold, fungus, and other contaminants from Black Water.

Flooding with contaminated water can also fill your home with unpleasant odors, and our technicians can use ULV wet foggers to release a dense mist with agents that bind to odor-causing particles to make them cleanable after falling onto surfaces.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills is ready to serve the area 24/7. If you have a disaster that needs professional cleanup and mitigation, give us a call today at (818) 998-1500.

Is Professional Fire Damage Restoration Necessary in Canoga Park?

9/26/2021 (Permalink)

Did your home face a recent fire? Contact Team SERVPRO to effectively remediate the fire damage and tackle any remaining odors.

Prompt, Reliable Restoration by SERVPRO Ensures Canoga Park Residents Get a Handle on Fire Damage

Many actions could lead to a house fire, big or small. How fast you act to address soot and smoke odors and visible fire damage dictates the outcome. Once your family and pets are safe, and first responders give the okay to enter your property, calling SERVPRO helps you get the results you deserve. We are here for all Canoga Park residents 24 hours a day to provide prompt, dependable fire restoration. Our goal is to get there quickly to minimize the cost and loss so that you can get back to your routine quickly. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster!

What happens when you call on SERVPRO for fire damage restoration in Canoga Park? Within a few hours of initial contact, you will have a team of IICRC-certified fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) at your door and ready to assess all damage. Some of the most common reasons we get called fire damaged homes include:

• Electrical fires
• Unattended cigarettes, candles, fireplaces, etc.
• Kitchen/cooking-related fires

Our Green Fleet of vehicles comes fully equipped with the tools and products to execute each job quickly and efficiently. Not only do we handle all debris removal, but we look further into all structural elements to ensure safety. When it comes to smoke odors, we have Odor Control Technicians (OCT) on our team to handle all soot and smoke residue – even when it travels throughout your HVAC system. We use:

• Oxidizing cleaners
• Generalized surface cleaning agents
• Acid-based cleaners
• Cream cleansers
• Soda blasting methods
• Thermal fogging, and more

It is vital that you return to your home without any reminders of the fire event that took place. Hiring SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills for fire damage restoration is the only way to get proven results. Call us at (818) 998-1500 when you require assistance, day or night.

It's Tough Finding Mold Damage In West Hills

9/6/2021 (Permalink)

When you see or smell mold in your home, time is of the essence. Contact Team SERVPRO to investigate and remediate the mold damage.

Finding Mold Damage In Your West Hills Home

Detecting and locating mold damage in a West Hills home is often one of the most challenging and complicated parts of the remediation process. To adequately eliminate threats and signs of mold, we must first precisely locate where the fungus is growing. However, this is no easy task, even when advanced tools and detection techniques assist us. The mold must first be located before verifying how large of an issue there is. Once you call SERVPRO, we can use our tools and expertise to nail down the exact location of the infestation.

What Should You Do When You Find Mold?

If you encounter any signs of mold damage in your West Hills home, such as a foul or musty odor or discoloration along a wall, investigate that sign and try to locate the infestation. If the discoloration grows more concentrated or the foul odors become more concentrated as you move to another part of the room or even another room entirely, you may be close to the inception point of this infestation. Try to figure out how many rooms contain growth, where it is in each room, and how strong each spot is relevant to other areas. Additionally, if you find obvious signs of moisture such as a water drip or flow, try to locate the source. You may find additional growth in those spots.

What Can SERVPRO Do?

When SERVPRO technicians arrive shortly after your call, the first step they take is to analyze the situation and get a clearer understanding of where the mold is and what has caused it to become a problem. In addition to your discoveries, we can use advanced moisture detection tools to identify exact spots of growth and concentrate our efforts on every patch of fungus, even those hidden from view.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills provides fast and reliable mold damage remediation services to the local community. Call us 24/7 at (818) 998-1500.

There is Fire Damage in My Canoga Park Home, Where Do I Get Help?

8/27/2021 (Permalink)

After the fire fighters leave and you see the fire damage, the situation can seem overwhelming. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 to assess and remediate.

Call SERVPRO Franchise Professionals to Restore Your Canoga Park Home After Fire Damage

A fire can start from any flame source and may get out of control, causing havoc in your Canoga Park home. Apart from the flames, the smoke emitted during a fire can continue creating problems. Another issue is the resulting water damage caused by the water used to extinguish the flames.

How does SERVPRO restore fire-damaged homes?

Fire damage in your Canoga Park home can be a significant problem because it can affect its structure, cause air quality problems, and lead to other issues like smoke damage. Our technicians can examine the damage and address issues like air quality and structural damage. We can remove the soot damaged items and debris. If there is water from firefighting efforts, we can use pumps to extract it. We also deep clean and deodorize affected homes.

Do I have to move out?

We consider the fire and smoke damage severity to determine if you should spend some nights at a hotel or other location. After a fire, the air quality may be reduced and may not allow you to remain in your house safely while our team is providing restoration services. If you have to leave your home, our team can perform a set of emergency procedures, including:

• Securing your home by performing a board up. Boarding up a house closes up openings caused by fire damage.
• Addressing electrical safety issues and restoring power to the house.
• Checking for any loss of integrity to structural components like roof trusses and floor joists.
• Restoring heat to the home if it is during the winter months.

Staying at a different location can give you a chance to remain safe during the restoration process. Make sure you retain all receipts because your insurance company can cover such costs. Your family's well-being is our priority, and our team can do its best to get you back in your residence as soon as it is safe.

How do you remove the smoke smell from a house?

SERVPRO has access to sophisticated deodorization equipment and products. We can use equipment such as thermal foggers to remove the smell. We also use products such as odor counteracting beads to deal with smoke odors. Odor counteractants give off pleasant aromas to freshen up the areas we are restoring.

A fire can have a destructive effect on your home. Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to clean up and restore your home quickly as possible.

How Much Damage Can Flood Damage Do to Canoga Park Wood Flooring?

8/22/2021 (Permalink)

Flooding can continue to cause damage if the situation is not mitigated. Call SERVPRO to formulate a flood damage remediation plan for your home.

SERVPRO Techs Use Their Training and Equipment in Canoga Park For the Best Outcome After Storm Damage

When Canoga Park residents think about flood water in a home, often it conjures up a house with a couple of feet of water within the structure. In reality, thousands of dollars in damages can occur from a mere inch of water, and it often recedes as fast as it entered.

Flood damage cleanup in a Canoga Park home entails several levels of service from SERVPRO. The technicians work to quickly ascertain the migration path and get the water extracted from the structure. Controlled demolition actions are common as walls that wick flood water require removal above the waterline to halt the absorption. Wood flooring of all types reacts to exposure to water. 

• Hardwood flooring may buckle or crown
• Engineered wood usually has a very tough top coat but can still warp if it remains in contact with moisture
• Laminate wood-look flooring fares badly against floodwater and usually requires removal

After drying, SERVPRO IICRC-certified technicians can inspect hardwood floorboards and use their moisture meters to determine any residual dampness. On a case-by-case basis, hardwood floorboards may have the potential for restoration through sanding, refinishing, and resealing.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 serves the local Canoga Park community for any size and type of storm and flood damage restoration. The technicians are on-call 24/7 to make the damage, "Like it never even happened."

Have the Upstairs Neighbors Caused Water Damage in Your Canoga Park Apartment?

8/4/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage in your apartment can affect other units near you as well. Contact Team SERVPRO for more information and remediation services.

What to Do When You Find Water Damage Caused by the Apartment Upstairs

Living in an apartment unit can be an attractive way to live in a city; however, not every owner is equally responsible, and it is never a good thing when this leads to water damage developing inside of your home. Living in a building with hundreds of other tenants makes your home susceptible to damages that may come from any of the apartments around you. Despite this fact, it is comforting to know that professional help is always close enough to rush to help you if an accident does happen.

You first found the water damage inside your Canoga Park bedroom when you were cleaning out your closet. The damage was against the back wall where water from a leak the next floor up had spread. Upon finding the damage, it is necessary to call for help as soon as possible. When excess moisture comes into contact with other devices, it can cause future problems to develop, such as mold damage. In fact, with enough moisture to feed the mold spores, it only takes three days for microbial growth to begin forming. Getting help to your home and getting it there fast can help ensure that the remediation inside of your home goes smoothly.

Water Damage Restoration 

SERVPRO is known for our IICRC-certified technicians, our advanced equipment, and how we always prioritize arriving at your home as soon as we possibly can. We pride ourselves on our friendly customer service and our positive relationship with our community. A remediation job is more than just a job to SERVPRO. It is a chance to grow rich bonds with our community members and to leave you feeling "Like it never even happened."

When we arrive at your house, SERVPRO can begin to set up different devices in your bedroom to remove the excess moisture from inside of your closet. We can use dehumidifiers and air movers together to create an ideal environment for evaporation. SERVPRO can also drill very small holes in your wall so that we may funnel air blasters through to space in between, where the moisture has been building. Once the moisture levels become normal, we complete our job, and you can enjoy your home in its pre-damaged state once again. 

If water damage strikes your apartment, never wait. Get in contact with SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills by calling (818) 998-1500. Day or night, we're here to fight the damage.

Why it is Crucial to Have Your HVAC System Cleaned After a Fire in Your Canoga Park House

7/30/2021 (Permalink)

Make sure to consider your HVAC system when your home is affected by a fire. Contact SERVPRO for equipment and certified technicians for the job.

Cleaning Your HVAC System After Fire Damage

Effects from a disaster can spread quickly throughout your Canoga Park home using pathways designed for conditioned air. Your HVAC system is running almost every day throughout the year, keeping a set regulated temperature for your house, and as such, when disaster strikes, these systems often become affected as well. With a situation like a fire, smoke and soot can often get brought into the HVAC system and spread through the ductwork to reach every room in the house and coat the ducts themselves with a thick residue.

While there are many obstacles to overcome fire damage in your Canoga Park home, you need to fixate on getting the right professional assistance right away to ensure the right experience and expertise is at the helm of restoring your home as efficiently as possible. While structural concerns and other pressing effects might take precedence over cleanup in specific areas like the air ducts, our SERVPRO team has the tools and equipment to restore these areas and other damages that the fire has allowed.

Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration and Cleanup

Our professionals can arrive quickly after the firefighters have left your home to begin our assessment of the damage and mitigation practices to prevent further damage. When fire debris cleanup begins, often the HVAC system can get included in this overall effort. We have specialized tools like powered bristle brushes and strong vacuums to place over vents to pull soot, debris, sediment, dust, and potentially other contaminants from this network of ducts.

It is important to care for this system early because it can continue to be a pathway for soot and smoke residue to find access throughout your home. Our SERVPRO professionals can work quickly to clean this area, allowing a significant reduction in traveling particulates but also encouraging the system to run more efficiently once restoration completes.

Cleaning this system after a fire is one of many steps that must get taken to return your home to its original condition. You can count on our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills team to show that We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster. Give our experts a call today at (818) 998-1500.

Canoga Park Storm Damage Mitigation

7/25/2021 (Permalink)

Has your home been affected by a recent storm? Contact Team SERVPRO for efficient storm damage remediation services. We are standing by for your call.

Need Storm Mitigation Restoration Service in Canoga Park – Call SERVPRO

Storms in Canoga Park can cause a lot of damage from broken windows, holes in roofs, and even flooding of our homes and businesses. There is direct damage caused by the storm, including high winds, rain, and flooding. Secondary damage also occurs when water and moisture are allowed to remain in place for too long. Wood and drywall products absorb moisture, swell and become permanently damaged, and mold colonies may invade the premises.

SERVPRO provides storm mitigation services to Canoga Park residents. We urge consumers and residents to take action as soon as storm damage occurs. SERVPRO can be onsite in less than four hours, twenty-four hours a day, to begin water removal and protect your home or business. Protecting your structures with board-up service on windows and doors and also covering roofs with tarps helps to prevent additional damage from the elements.

We deploy water extractors, air movers, and dehumidifiers to remove water and moisture to minimize the damage caused by water and humidity. Our fast response can also help prevent mold infestations from occurring in high moisture areas of your home or business.

SERVPRO offers the following services:

• Water Damage Remediation
• Emergency Services Water Damage Restoration
• Board Up and Tarpaulin Service for Leaking Roof From Storms

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for storm mitigation in Canoga Park and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (818) 998-1500.

Fast Water Extraction Mitigates Water Damage in Canoga Park

7/9/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO follows the standards included in the IICRC guidelines to mitigate water damage in Canoga Park properties

Water Damage is Less When SERVPRO Quickly Removes Water

When Canoga Park water damage caused by a flood or fire-extinguishing effort impacts your property, dealing with the aftermath can be challenging and exhausting. In addition to generating systemic structural and personal possessions damage, excessive standing water can potentially promote the development of a serious mold problem. However, securing professional water extraction services from SERVPRO can mitigate the water damage effects, lessen your expenses, save personal memorabilia, and return you to your home ASAP. Our goal is to dry, recondition, sanitize, and restore your home to its pre-water damaged state.

Expedited Services with Rapid Results

As water extraction professionals, our initial steps are to assess the water damage and immediately, upon written approval, begin to pump the unwanted water from your home. One of the biggest benefits that we offer is we are a local company, part of about 1850 network-wide franchise. We are close enough to not only offer 24/7 availability but normally can arrive in about one hour to assess and tackle the water damage issues in your Canoga Park property. SERVPRO can muster a large, skilled crew utilizing heavy-duty water pumps, sump pumps, wet-vacs, squeegees, mops, and buckets to begin the extraction process quickly. This large volume water removal is only the initial, vital first step.

Drying and Moisture Reduction

These are essential steps once the standing water has been removed from your structure. Moisture meters seek out hidden pockets of moisture and residually absorbed water. Dehumidifiers: chemical, mechanical, or refrigerant can be strategically placed to complete the drying. We measure with hygrometers the relative humidity within the structure. Once we are certain that your property is back to normal, we offer written documentation to this effect.

Mold Prevention

Mold can start to grow on your property within 48-72 hours of the onset of water damage. However, water extraction experts can diminish this process from happening by quickly removing the excessive water. This expedited work is important because ongoing mold exposure could cause health effects.

Sanitizing Protocol

Fire and water damage leave your living space in an unsanitary state. SERVPRO can use ULV (ultra-low volume) foggers, chemical foggers, air scrubbers, and ozone chambers to secure a sanitary condition for the structure. We remove, not mask odors, deodorize and establish a safe ambient air quality. The above equipment accomplishes these objectives through the use of disinfectant, antimicrobial, and antibacterial treatments.

Call SERVPRO Immediately

Canoga Park water damage can be a difficult obstacle to overcome. The professionals of SERVPRO can accomplish this task while lessening your stress and expense. Our goal is to serve you in an ethical and empathetic manner. Our IICRC-certified technicians offer detailed, effective water extraction services that quickly restore your property to its original condition.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is locally owned and operated. When you have a water or flood emergency, we’re already nearby and ready to help. We take pride in our communities and want to do our part in keeping them safe. Call us 24/7 for help. (818) 998-1500

SERVPRO in Canoga Park Provides Emergency Water Cleanup Services

6/18/2021 (Permalink)

Protect your business inventory in Canoga Park from water damage--call SERVPRO to help keep your doors open

Commercial Water Cleanup and Removal Services from SERVPRO in Canoga Park to Mitigate Water Damage.

Clients in Canoga Park, who allow water from plumbing leaks to dry gradually risk damage to the contents, inventory, closures, and risk mold infestations in their business buildings. Water allowed to evaporate naturally may take several days or even longer. The presence of water can cause hardwood floors to warp, drywall to swell and crumble and particleboard commonly used in kitchen cupboards to degrade. Water can damage these materials permanently.

SERVPRO responds with 4 hours of your call for water cleanup in Canoga Park. We have seen the kind of permanent damage standing water can do to structures, walls, and flooring materials. The repairs for this type of damage can be very expensive. In addition, standing water and high levels of moisture create the ideal conditions for the growth of mold colonies. Mold can cause health effects for many people.

Let SERVPRO assess the situation and provide a plan to extract the water and moisture from your shop or commercial site before it is too late. We can bring in the necessary water extractors, air movers, and dehumidifiers to return your home or business premises to their original condition, “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO provides:

• Water removal services
• Water damage repairs and restoration
• Respond to emergency water damage 24/7

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for water cleanup in Canoga Park and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (818) 998-1500.

Storm Damage in Canoga Park: More than Just a Spring Shower

5/27/2021 (Permalink)

When a storm hits home, call the professionals at SERVPRO. Our IICRC certified techs are ready for any size storm damaged job.

SERVPRO Is Standing By; Ready To Remediate Your Storm Damage

Storms can occur at any time of the year and any time of the day. Some are shorter than others but can still create damaging winds and rains. These winds do not always directly affect your home's exterior but can become so powerful that they topple trees and power lines. These tall objects can fall on your home or garage, creating damage in many different forms. 

In Canoga Park, storm damage can involve more than heavy rains that only lead to water damage. Shingles may be ripped off, siding and windows might become cracked, support beams in roofs may be damaged and broken, and storm doors can come unhinged when a house shifts because of the increased weight from a telephone or utility pole. A tree landing on your roof can also create the same situation. 

Fires Can Break Out Because of Storm Damage 

Although not as likely as poles, trees can also roll or slide, causing even more damage before they are removed. Professional crews should remove such items. The homeowner should never carry out this type of work. An additional threat of downed power and telephone poles is fire from the electricity in the lines. These lines do not pose only an electrical shock hazard but also one of fire. If a line is touching or coming into contact with your home, this creates a genuine fire risk. 

Clean-Up Should Begin Immediately – By Professionals Experienced in Catastrophic Damage 

Because of the tearing, your home's structures can suffer, and the types of exposed materials, our professionals should be called in to conduct the necessary work. We are highly trained and experienced in all phases and types of restoration work. We can bring your home back to its previous state, the one that you and your family previously enjoyed before the storm ripped through your neighborhood. From the first assessment to completing the work needed, our teams work together to ensure your home is quickly repaired. 

Available Any Time You Need Us 

Make a call to SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to schedule an appointment with us. We'll have your storm damage under control fast and have your home in pre-storm condition, so you and your family do not have to spend any unnecessary nights away from home. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to take your call and get the job done fast.

Get Fast and Reliable Water Cleanup in Canoga Park from SERVPRO

5/17/2021 (Permalink)

Has water invaded your home? SERVPRO is equipped to handle a complete restoration.

Water Cleanup at Canoga Park Homes Need Professional Restorers

Problems such as burst pipes, ceiling leaks, and basement flooding often require water cleanup at your Canoga Park home. Trying to start the water removal on your own or worse, ignoring it all together can have disastrous consequences. SERVPRO's water restoration experts can help you in cleanup and restoration to prevent any secondary damage. 

It is important to determine the extent and severity of the damage before water cleanup at your Canoga Park home. SERVPRO technicians inspect the damage visually and use equipment to determine areas that are unsafe for people and the property alike. 

What Safety Measures do SERVPRO Techs Take During Water Damage Restoration of Your Canoga Park Home?

Safety is top priority of SERVPRO water damage remediation experts during the restoration process. Water damage can cause several safety issues at your Canoga Park home, that includes-

• Unsafe structures
• Hazards of electric shock 
• Health hazards due to contaminated water

SERVPRO technicians closely monitor the structure for any signs of water damage that can threaten the safety of the occupants. One common safety concern was sagging ceilings and weakened walls filled with water and can potentially collapse, causing injury or other damage. In such situations, technicians can recommend pack-outs to save any undamaged content. Another safety measure that SERVPRO techs take is to seal off the area undergoing water damage repairs to prevent the risk of slipping or falling. 

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for a reliable and safe water damage restoration service. 

Does SERVPRO Provide Fire Restoration and Smoke Remediation in West Hills?

5/3/2021 (Permalink)

Odors can remain long after a fire has been extinguished and fire damage cleaned up. Partner with SERVPRO for effective remediation services.

SERVPRO Provides Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration and Cleanup in West Hills

After the damaged contents and structural items have been removed, there is often a lingering odor caused by smoke residues in the air and resting on walls, floors, and your contents. We remove residues as part of a complete house fire clean-up. Odors may remain and require further intervention to remove all traces of the fire.

SERVPRO provides fire restoration for residences and commercial properties in West Hills and the surrounding area. Our highly trained professionals respond on a 24/7 basis in four hours from your call to minimize and contain additional fire damage from water and chemicals used to quell the fire. Broken windows and doors are boarded up to prevent intrusion. 

We provide complete house fire cleanup, including:

• Removal of fire-damaged materials
• Water and chemical removal
• Complete house fire clean up
• Property repair
• Professional smoke deodorization

After thoroughly cleaning the structure and contents, we use Ozone to neutralize odor-causing molecules, breaking them down into smaller, less offensive materials. Ozone is a colorless pale blue gas used to remove offensive odors.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for fire restoration services in West Hills and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (818) 998-1500.

Does SERVPRO Provide Emergency Services Water Damage to Commercial Properties in Canoga Park?

4/30/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage can certainly slow down business. Call our SERVPRO team 24/7 for water removal and remediation services.

SERVPRO provides Commercial Water Damage Restoration in Canoga Park

Water damage in Canoga Park commercial properties can have a devastating impact on operations. Whether your business is retail customer-facing or manufacturing processes, sales and production are impacted. Your time is divided on dealing with the emergency and how to rearrange your business operations while water damage repairs are underway.

SERVPRO can help you with water damage repairs in your Canoga Park commercial building. Not only will our team of professionals look after water clean up and drying, but we can also help manage subcontractors to make the necessary repairs. We look after:

• Bringing pre-approved subcontractors on site
• Coordinate Trades and supplies
• Working closely with your team to minimize the impact on continuing operations
• Manage the water damage restoration project to complete it promptly

Utilizing SERVPRO’s water damage restoration services enables commercial owners to focus on their business emergency operations while repairs are being completed. Our services allow you to also focus on customer retention and transition back to normal business operations.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for water damage services in Taunton commercial buildings and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (818) 998-1500.

Does SERVPRO Provide Inspection Walk-Throughs after Completing Flood Damage Repairs in Canoga Park?

4/25/2021 (Permalink)

Flooding can come from many directions. Fight back with a call to SERVPRO for water removal and remediation services.

SERVPRO’s Crews Complete Flood Damage Repair Touch-Ups After Inspections in Canoga Park

Canoga Park started as a Rancho and later as a wheat-growing farm in 1869. Later, the San Fernando Valley area was subdivided, creating 140 towns, including Owensworth in 1912, renamed Canoga Park in 1931. Canoga Park is considered part of Los Angeles and was annexed in 1917. Canoga Park has an approximate population of 43,000 people. Canoga Park is primarily a residential area with commutes to Burbank – 21.7 miles, Santa Monica – 21.7 miles, and Downtown LA – 28.4 miles.

Canoga Park is close to many attractions in surrounding cities and Los Angeles. Some of the attractions in the immediate area include:

• Owensmouth Historical Society
• Canoga Park Farmer’s Market
• Malibu Hindu temple
• Parthenia Park
• Malibu Creek State Park
• Wildwood Regional Park
• Commons of Calabasas
• Calabasas Country Club
• California Museum of Art Thousands Oaks
• Conejo Valley Botanical Garden
• Chumash Indian Museum
• Alma Sol Winery

Owensmouth Historical Society

The Owensmouth Historical Society collection portrays books, photographs, pamphlets, artifacts, documents, and the West San Fernando Valley history. The museum focuses on the area that was initially known as Owensmouth and later renamed Canoga Park.

Canoga Park Farmer’s Market

The Canoga Park Farmer’s Market is open every Saturday from 9 pm to 1 pm at 7247 Owensmouth Ave. Fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, and a variety of products are available.

Malibu Hindu Temple

The Malibu Hindu Temple is located at 1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Rd, Calabasas, and is one of the larger temples in the area. Located in nearby Calabasas, the temple is a great place to meditate, enjoy a picnic and attend various events throughout the year.

Malibu Creek State Park

Nearby, Malibu Creek State Park is only 11 miles from Canoga Park and is considered the crown jewel of state parks in the Santa Monica mountains. There are 8000 acres of dramatic peaks, oak savannahs, and rolling tallgrass plains. The park opened in 1976. The park area was used in many movies and television shows. Ride, hike, and climb through the park. There are guided hikes where you can experience the park at a novice level, as well as challenging hikes in rougher terrain. Activities in the park include:

• Hiking
• Cycling
• Rock Climbing
• Kayaking
• Horseback Riding
• Camping
• Bird watching

Wildwood Regional Park

Wildwood Regional Park is another park near Canoga Park where visitors can enjoy cycling, nature hikes, horseback riding, day camps, and interpretive programs. There are 14 trails to enjoy covering over 17 miles. There are benches along the trails and restrooms at the bottom of the canyon.

Flood Damage Repair Inspections in Canoga Park

After flooding causes damage to your home or business, everyone needs help to clear out the debris and the floodwaters that remain in your home. Many items must be discarded, some structural items (drywall, flooring, for example) may need to be removed before detailed water clean up and flood damage restoration can begin.

SERVPRO provides flood damage cleanup and restoration for Canoga Park and the surrounding area. Our objective is to restore your home or business, “Like it never even happened.” SERVPRO is committed to providing high-quality service and repairs. We schedule a final walkthrough with the customer to catch anything we might have missed during flood damage restoration.

• The final walkthrough is scheduled just before project completion
• we document all identified items
• Most repairs are completed before our crew’s leave

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for flood damage services in Taunton and surrounding areas. We can help 24/7. Call (818) 998-1500.

Is Water Causing Damage to your Canoga Park Home?

4/1/2021 (Permalink)

Quick action can help save both the structure and the contents of your home. SERVPRO is standing by 24/7 for your emergency water damage call.

For Quick Water Removal That Reduces the Risk of Damage Call SERVPRO

Any water damage can be a disaster to homeowners. Storm flooding can be a major disaster, but a leaking pipe that goes unnoticed or is not dealt with quickly can be just as damaging over time.

The best way to halt on-going and reduce future water damage in Canoga Park homes is water removal. This set of actions by SERVPRO restoration teams is the first step to restoring a home after the effects of ceiling leaks, burst pipes, or a leaking dishwasher behind a wall are discovered.

What Actions Do Restoration Teams Take First?

• Team members remove large amounts of water with pumps, generally not needed
• Next, they eliminate puddles and thin layers of surface water with extraction wands
• Specialists then push out remaining water with squeegees and use cloths and sponges to wipe down damp surfaces
• To lower the amount of moisture in the air (humidity level), they install a combination of fans to increase air circulation and dehumidifiers to draw moisture from the air

For fast and thorough water removal, contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills today at (818) 998-1500. 

Fire Damage Restoration Needed in West Hills

3/26/2021 (Permalink)

Whether it was a large or just a small fire in your home, it doesn’t matter. Our SERVPRO team has many resources to tackle fire damage.

For professional house fire clean up, contact SERVPRO

Residential fires are usually in the kitchen and remain confined there. While this prevents widespread physical damage to the home, some of the residues left after fires are extinguished can be very difficult to remove.

These types of fire damage in West Hills homes require special cleaning agents that can break up the residues for easier removal. SERVPRO restoration teams train extensively with cleaning agents and specialized equipment to remove residue particles. These particles not only damage surfaces but also emit malodors which can remain for weeks and months even when the home looks restored.

How do the Cleaning Agents Work?

• Break up thin particle layers that can be wiped away with damp or dry sponges
• Liquid cleaners isolate or emulsify particles in thicker layers from the affected surfaces for wiping away or with extractors that remove everything in the solution
• Combine with or breakdown the odor-causing particles which eliminate the malodors 

Contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for a fast, professional response to a residential fire. 

Is There Flood Damage in Your Canoga Park Home?

3/21/2021 (Permalink)

Floodwater can overwhelm your home and brings with it many contaminants. Contact our SERVPRO team for flood damage remediation services.

When You Need Rapid Flood Water Restoration Call SERVPRO

Water has been an important part of Canoga Park’s history since the Chumash-Venturaño and Tongva-Fernandeño tribes first lived in what is now the San Fernando Valley area. These early agricultural communities in the Simi Hills and along the Los Angeles River tributaries go back possibly as far as 8000 years.

Spanish and Mexican History

In the 18th and early 19th centuries, our area was part of the Spanish Mission San Fernando Rey de España or Mission San Fernando. After the end of the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821), the valley was now declared part of the Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando. In nearby Rancho El Escorpión, in 1845, a land grant was issued to Odón Eusebia, his brother-in-law Urbano, and Urbano's son Mañuel, all members of the Chumash tribe. This grant included a large swath west of what is now Fallbrook Avenue and would later be named Platt Ranch.

Mexican / American Conflict

The Eusebia land grant, along with many others after the Mexican/American War (1846-1848) were voided but left unchanged until the U.S. Civil War. In 1863, the San Fernando Homestead Association purchased the southern half of the San Fernando Valley. They divided it into seven massive ranch operations dedicated to growing wheat. In a short time, the Association was shipping wheat to Europe.

From Owensmouth to Canoga Park

In 1912, one of the many small communities in the southern San Fernando Valley officially incorporated as a larger town named Owensmouth. In 1913, the entire southern half, with a handful of exceptions, were subdivided in preparation for the completion of the first Los Angeles aqueduct system later that year. Three of the more well-known purchasers of land in the new subdivisions were:

• Moses Sherman who built streetcar lines for the Los Angeles Pacific Railroad
• Harrison Gray Otis, publisher of the Los Angeles Times
• Harry Chandler, land developer and son-in-law of Harrison Gray Otis

It was Otis and Chandler who also created and developed the template for modern Los Angeles.

Despite its location to the new aqueduct system, Owensmouth had no independent source of water. After four years of trying to keep its independence, the community joined Los Angeles on February 26th, 1917. Fourteen years later, Owensmouth was renamed, Canoga Park. It continued to stay primarily agricultural but had locations for a movie studio and stunt work.

Flooding Dangers

The same environment that makes so much growth around Canoga Park also lends itself to flooding. Not a problem for most crops, but dangerous for multiple reasons when it comes to homeowners and residences due to the presence of contaminants such as soil, sewer waste, and more. Contaminants can:

• Further, stain and discolor structural and personal property
• Increase the type and number of malodors that permeate the home
• Force the removal and disposal of items like carpets and carpet pads
• Increase health risk to anyone working inside the home 

Contaminants also increase the number of labor hours, cleaning agents, and equipment needed to return each home to a clean, safe condition.

For a rapid response to flood damage, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500. We are here for you 24/7. 

Is Mold Damage Always Severe?

3/2/2021 (Permalink)

If not effectively remediated, water losses can become mold growth events.

SERVPRO Can Help Address All Types of Mold Infestations in Winnetka Business Premises

Noticing signs of mold at your business premises can be worrisome since most of your clients and even staff members may be wary of spending time in a moldy environment. The signs you notice may also not reveal the complete picture. For example, there may be a full-blown infestation in a wall cavity where you see moldy spots.

Thorough mold damage remediation in Winnetka requires a combination of skills so that evaluation and removal can be done satisfactorily. SERVPRO avails IICRC Certified mold remediation technicians who can evaluate the infestation in your property to determine whether it is severe. We use various approaches to do such evaluation, including:

• Drilling exploratory holes in cavities such as ceilings, walls, or cabinets then using borescopes for inspection
• Checking for moisture trapped in hidden areas using thermal cameras
• Tapping or pressing materials since mold growth can ruin their structural integrity

Depending on the results, we can tell whether mold growth is restricted to the material's surface or whether it goes further and thus requires extensive removal processes. 

Mold damage restoration is more manageable with help from SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills. Call us at (818) 998-1500 to help you.

Is Preparation Necessary After Flood Damage?

2/23/2021 (Permalink)

It does rain in Southern California, and SERVPRO is available to handle any storm damage you may experience.

SERVPRO is Always Prepared to Handle Flooding Incidents in Canoga Park

When you find your property all murky and physically damaged by a flooding incident, you may want to start remedial processes immediately to salvage some valuables or make the property habitable. However, taking a moment to plan the restoration process can lead to a better outcome.

The preparation completed before embarking on flood damage restoration in Canoga Park properties touches on several aspects, including obtaining a sufficient supply of cleaning and decontamination products, finding the right equipment to handle various restoration tasks, and planning how to remove wastes from the loss site.

SERVPRO technicians are well trained in handling these issues when restoring flood-damaged properties. For instance, when we visit your property:

• We set up a staging area within your property where we hold all the restoration equipment.
• We inspect the loss site to determine the necessary types of cleaning, water extraction, and drying equipment.
• We establish whether cleaning is sufficient or whether we need to remove some materials to manage contamination.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills delivers satisfactory results when restoring properties affected by flood damage. Call us at (818) 998-1500 to assist.

Need Assistance During Fire Damage Restoration?

2/21/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can make your fire loss "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO Restores West Hills Properties and Facilitates Residents in Other Ways 

Anyone looking for an easygoing neighborhood in Los Angeles should consider West Hills, which perfectly fits the bill. It is renowned for its numerous coffee shops and parks. A significant percentage of its 40,000 residents are retirees. 

The area where the neighborhood sits was home to the Chumash-Venturaño and Tongva-Fernandeño Native American tribes. Native Americans are believed to have occupied the region for over 8,000 years. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the area was under Mexican rule after Mexico gained independence from Spain. 

Top Landmarks in West Hills

As already indicated, parks are a crucial feature in the West Hills neighborhood. Therefore, it should not seem unusual that a number are considered landmarks and have been awarded the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument status, which guarantees their protection. These landmarks include:

• Orcutt Ranch- The estate comprises the 1920 Adobe residence of William Warren Orcutt, a Union Oil Company executive. In addition to the mansion, it also has citrus orchards and gardens. Currently, the park is known as the Orcutt Ranch Horticulture Center and offers various services, including self-guided strolls, scheduled house tours, and annual public citrus harvests. It is also a favorite location for weddings. 
• Shadow Ranch- It was initially known as the workman ranch owned by Alfred Workman, a muleskinner and emigrant from Australia. He bought the land in 1869 and later built a house for his family by adding to an existing adobe. Workman imported eucalyptus trees from his native Australia to plant in his ranch. It is rumored that all eucalyptus trees in California came from the Workman ranch. Currently, it features lighted basketball courts, soccer and football fields, picnic tables, and community rooms.
• El Escorpión Park- The three-acre park is located in Simi Hills. Its main attraction is the El Escorpión Peak, which serves as a landmark and offers fascinating views of the valley. It is a perfect location for walks, hiking, or biking. 

The neighborhood is famous for its unique coffee shops. Apart from Starbucks and other popular coffee shops, alternative shops have unique offerings.

• The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, situated on Platt Avenue. They offer a variety of well-made beverages, including ice-blended types.
• Sago Boba Shop located on Topanga Canyon is highly rated for custom drinks, flavors, and combos. Apart from coffee, they also have various other beverages on their menu.
• Crave Cafe, located on Vanowen Street, offers a variety of refreshments and meals

SERVPRO Helps Facilitate Fire Damage Restoration in West Hills

A fire incident not only ruins your home but also introduces an array of challenges. For instance, it is impossible to stay in the damaged house awaiting renovation because of the strong odor and the health risks posed by fire residues. 

SERVPRO helps in many ways when a fire razes property. Our principal service is the restoration of the structure and affected valuables. However, we can also help occupants deal with the loss more conveniently. Some of the main steps include:

• Boarding up the property to seal openings such as shattered windows
• Setting up barriers to isolate some sections of the property to limit the spread of residues or odor
• Pre-cleaning utility areas such as kitchens and bathrooms to make the property habitable before complete restoration 

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills has extensive experience dealing with fire damage restoration. Call us at (818) 998-1500.

What Should Homeowners Do When a Water Intrusion Incident Occurs

2/1/2021 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills today at (818) 998-1500 if you need help with professional water damage restoration.

Property Owners Can Call SERVPRO to Perform Water Removal Cleanup in Their West Hills Homes

It only takes a few inches of water to cause a severe water damage threat to your home. You can reduce the harmful effects of water damage by seeking restoration services from a reliable firm like SERVPRO.

Our restorers are available around the clock, 365 days a year, and we can assist you to bring things back to normal quickly. To perform efficient water removal cleanup in your West Hills home, our water removal experts can provide an on-site evaluation and work with your insurance firm to make the water cleanup process hassle-free.

How SERVPRO can help

We have well-trained specialists who can address all the possible consequences of water intrusion. Apart from knowing how to fix the destruction, our experts also know where to look. Some of the steps our team can take to restore your home include:

•     Using portable pumps to pump out water from floors
•     Using infrared cameras to inspect and monitor the moisture in building materials
•     Using air movers and dehumidifiers to dry all indoor surfaces
•     Pulling up carpet and pad if necessary
•     Controlling the spread of contaminants

Throughout the restoration process, we handle our customers’ possessions with the utmost care.

When dealing with the aftermath of a plumbing leak, appliance malfunction, or another issue, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for water removal cleanup services in your West Hills residence. Our helpline is (818) 998-1500.

How Can West Hills Dwellers Deal With Water Damage?

1/29/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage situation? Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills today at (818) 998-1500 if you need help with professional water damage restoration.

Property Owners Can Hire SERVPRO Technicians to Perform Water Removal Clean Up in Their Homes

Water damage can be sudden and can wreak havoc on your home. If not attended to quickly, excess water can create structural destruction or cause health hazards. Immediate action can save you money and provide you with peace of mind.

Fixing water damage can be expensive, especially if you hire the wrong firm. Turn to SERVPRO for high-quality water removal cleanup in your West Hills residence. We use non-invasive methods and cutting-edge technology to find the cause of water intrusion and fix it properly.

Our technicians have in-depth experience and understanding in assessing water damage and coming up with customized solutions. Our team can arrive on time, ready, and complete the restoration process quickly. We use advanced equipment such as:

•     Submersible pumps to extract water that is over two inches deep.
•     Moisture sensors to track moisture within a structure.
•     Desiccant dehumidifiers for drying low evaporation materials.
•     Thermal imaging cameras for monitoring and inspecting moisture in building materials.

From the initial inspection, cleanup, and creating lasting solutions, our team can handle it all.

After a water damage event, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for remediation services in your West Hills residence. Our number is (818) 998-1500.

Prompt Response for Commercial Flood Damage in Canoga Park

1/24/2021 (Permalink)

Flood damage? SERVPRO is prepared with restoration equipment and experienced technicians. Call us today!

SERVPRO Provides Effective Commercial Flood Damage Restoration Services in Canoga Park

Canoga Park is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region in Los Angeles, California. It has a population of 57,217 people. Canoga Park has an urban feel, and many of its residents rent their homes. Many parks and shops are present in this neighborhood. Many young professionals and families reside in Canoga Park, and they tend to be liberal. The public schools of the neighborhood are above average.

Before the Mexican-American War, the neighborhood was a part of a rancho. Once the American army gained the victory, it was changed into wheat farms and subdivided later. Part of it was named Owensmouth, a town established in 1912.

Pre-American history

The area where Canoga Park is presently situated was the homeland of Native Americans in the Chumash-Ventureno and Tongya Fernandeno tribes, which lived in the Simi Hills and along the Los Angeles River’s tributaries. They exchanged goods with the North Valley Tataviam-Fernandeno people.

Attractions

Canoga Park is known for its central location and fantastic weather. It is near many of the region’s top attractions. Various restaurants, cafes, shopping areas and parks like the shops at Vallarta and Westfield Topanga and the Village are present. Many festivals occur in Canoga Park all year round. Examples are the Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade and the Dia de los Muertos festival.

Best things to do around and in Canoga Park

    Visit the Canoga-Owensmouth Historical Society

Learning about an area's culture and history is the best way to connect with it. You can learn about the neighborhood’s past by visiting the Canoga-Owensmouth Historical Society. This museum features numerous exhibits. Some rotate while others are permanent, meaning visitors cannot lack something interesting to see. The items displayed in the museum illustrate life in the San Fernando Valley and Canoga Park in various eras, including the Mexican Rancho days, the aerospace industry days, the farming days, and the days of the Chumash Indians.   

    Unwind in Parthenia Park

If you want to spend time relaxing without having to travel too far, visit Parthenia Park. The park has attractive green spaces where you can enjoy a family picnic or lie on a blanket with a book. There is also a playground on site.

    Play golf at the Calabasas Country Club

This is a large property with numerous facilities, including an eighteen-hole championship golf course. The course is ideal for all levels but is challenging enough to keep even the excellent golfers on their toes. While making your way along the course, you can enjoy the breathtaking scenery and notice that all holes are named after a movie that was filmed on-site.

A flooding incident can affect anyone visiting or residing in Canoga Park. When such an incident occurs, it is essential to seek assistance from restoration experts.

How SERVPRO performs commercial flood damage restoration

Dealing with the aftermath of folding is a significant undertaking for any region or community to face. SERVPRO can mobilize multiple teams quickly within a few hours to respond to commercial flood damage in Canoga Park.

We understand that flooding can negatively affect your business because we are also business owners. We also understand the different disaster relief required by restaurants, condos, manufacturing plants, and office buildings. Regulations differ for these entities, and they change between municipalities and counties.

Our commercial flood damage restoration process includes:

•     Floodwater extraction
•     Structural drying
•     Mold remediation
•     Complete build-ups

Our team can use portable or truck-mounted water extraction equipment to remove floodwater quickly. If there is no power, we use electrical generators to provide the needed power. Vinyl wall coverings are common in commercial buildings. It is daunting to dry walls behind vinyl because vinyl wallpaper is a vapor barrier, which blocks water behind it. Vinyl prevents the transfer of moisture, and for that reason, dehumidifiers cannot eliminate moisture effectively from the wall. Our team can dry the walls covered with vinyl by removing the vinyl wall covering after communicating with you and the insurance adjuster. We can also eliminate the base molding, drill holes and force air into the wall cavity without ruining the wallpaper.

If you need flood restoration services for your commercial property in Canoga Park, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Winnetka Fitness Enthusiasts Should Take a Look at This

1/4/2021 (Permalink)

Spice up your fitness routine with some dance moves in a funky cardio dance class.

Dance Your Way Around Winnetka with this Dance Fit Class

Picture this: it is another wonderfully cool January day in Winnetka, and you are preparing for your cardio routine. Would you rather jog down the same streets you always do, or would you instead take part in an Afrofunk cardio dance class?

For just $20, you can take part in Nu-Bein Dance Fit, a certified fitness instruction program that blends high-energy African music and dance with conventional cardio routines. Unlike most dance fitness routines, this unique style incorporates periods of rest and reflection, training up your mind and soul alongside your body. It is a unique experience that is unmatched by any other that we have seen.

Depending on the date you choose (the classes run every Saturday in the late morning), the group may meet via Zoom or in-person at various locations around northern Los Angeles. Contact Jessica Monea Evans to get up-to-date information on where the classes are to be held and whether or not they will continue past January. In-person courses are generally held in outdoor spaces to ensure adequate social distancing for all attendees.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills stands by 24/7 to help with water cleanup in your Winnetka home. Call us at (818) 998-1500.

A Rare Cultural Tour Opportunity Just South of Canoga Park

12/23/2020 (Permalink)

Canoga park residents, take time away to learn about the Hindu culture while exploring the Malibu Hindu Temple on a guided tour.

The Nearby Malibu Hindu Temple is Offering Guided Tours

Unbeknownst to many, a short drive down from Canoga Park can lead you to a rare cultural icon in the United States – the large, modern, and active Malibu Hindu Temple. This gorgeous and ornate Temple serves devout Los Angeles Hindus by providing places of worship, spiritual guidance, quiet meditative areas, South Asian food and amenities, and much more.

The Temple is an active place of worship and thus restricts who can visit its palatial grounds at what times. On Saturday the 26th, however, the Temple will offer a guided tour for those willing to learn and respect the Hindu culture and traditions. The tour will cover most of the Temple grounds, including many indoor areas closed off to non-worshipers for much of the pandemic. Along the way, tour-goers will receive a short guided meditation session. Tickets cost $15 if you call ahead or $20 at the door. Be sure to bring a bit of extra cash to purchase some of the unique refreshments offered in and around the Temple.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is a trusted local source for water damage restorations in Canoga Park. Call our emergency phone line 24/7 at (818) 998-1500.

When Predictable California Weather Becomes Unpredictable in West Hills

12/18/2020 (Permalink)

When you experience storm damage of any kind, you can rely on SERVPRO's skilled technicians to bring your property back from destruction.

Just How Vulnerable is West Hills to the Next Big Earthquake?

Whether from local West Hills news sources or nationwide ones, every so often, we hear about the potential for another "big one" that shakes our city, quite literally. These massive earthquakes follow a pattern, more or less, and experts say we may be overdue. But, for all the fearmongering, how much risk do these "megaquakes" really pose? The answer to that may be complicated.

First, we must consider the probability of such an earthquake happening any time soon. While a pattern does exist in the geologic record, it is far from perfect. Sometimes, massive quakes occur just decades apart, while it may take centuries in other portions of history. Like many cyclic weather disasters, these events are unpredictable in their timing, and it may be just as likely as not that nobody alive today will ever see such a quake happen in California.

If a particularly severe earthquake does strike West Hills, the destruction may not be as bad as we expect. Most California buildings are built to withstand the sort of deadly earthquake that could level a city in times past. The great earthquake of 1906 that destroyed most of San Francisco would only cause minor damage to most buildings there today. Virtually every building in West Hills has been built or retrofitted to strict modern safety standards, so it would take an earthquake of truly unprecedented intensity to punch a dent in our community.

Even still, astute homeowners would do well to keep their residences prepared for a potential quake. Keeping fragile items away from places they might fall, ensuring that hazardous materials stay far removed from living areas, and other common-sense precautions are vital when a big earthquake hits. The "big one" may not be likely to knock over your home, but it could knock over some things inside if you are not careful!

West Hills Could Get Snowfall This Season… Or Could It?

Any longtime West Hills resident knows how rare snowfall can be in our city. While the nearby mountains usually get a light dusting at least once per year, the inhabited parts of Los Angeles rarely see a single flake. Being just a bit further north and closer to the mountains than most of the metro area, West Hills has one of the best snowfall chances in any given season. Snow is still rare, however, and requires a few different factors to come together in unison.

One of the most important reasons why we see less snowfall than other inland regions is the ocean. While the Pacific Ocean keeps us cooler in the summer than other places in the country, it also retains heat throughout the winter, keeping temperatures at a relative constant throughout the year. While this makes for a wonderfully warm and mild Los Angeles area, it does make our weather a bit more bland than elsewhere.

Before any projection on snowfall, one must examine if the temperatures allow for it. While snow does not require below-freezing temperatures to reach the ground (since it may be below freezing at higher altitudes), more than a few degrees above 32F makes snow a practical impossibility. Some years, the weather may not get low enough at all, even without cloud cover and precipitation. However, in any given year, the months of November, December, January, and February each have a chance at getting temperatures this low in the pre-dawn hours.

Next, we must have rain. Or, in this case, snow. Under most conditions, any snowfall fails to stick around for long, especially if conditions warm up and rain begins to wash the ice away. However, snow days are not impossible in Los Angeles. Between 1932 and 1962, multiple snowstorms blanketed the area with multiple inches that stuck around for most of the day. In one instance, a 500-person snowball fight erupted, which eventually turned into a full-on riot with numerous arrests. Since then, snow in the area has been rare, but we did see a bit of it in 2019.

So, could we see any snow this season? It is certainly possible. Although accurate forecasts are challenging to make beyond a few weeks in advance, several meteorologists have predicted that late January may be a period of cold, wet conditions. If it gets cold and wet enough, we could potentially see multiple inches of snow. Keep your fingers crossed and your snow chains ready because, with enough luck, 2021 might be a snow year for West Hills.

Top Reasons to Buy Flood Damage Insurance for Your West Hills Home

One of the most unfortunate mistakes that we see our West Hills neighbors make is to refuse or forget to acquire flood insurance. Flooding can happen to any home at almost any time, and while it may be a rare threat, it is one of the most common types of damage we see that is not covered by insurance. Most homeowner's insurance policies fail to cover flood damage without an extra premium, and we strongly recommend paying this (small) premium.

Flood Damage Can Happen to Anyone

SERVPRO franchises nationwide receive emergency calls about flood damage year-round. Flooding comes most often from rainstorms and natural disasters but can also result from human-made issues such as a faulty septic tank or an overflowing drainage ditch. Even something as simple as a busted water line can cause thousands of dollars' worth of damage to your home.

Repairing Damages Can Get Expensive

Although SERVPRO specializes in mitigating damages and reducing costs, flood damage scenarios are often the most time and resource-intensive projects that we handle. While most of our fire restoration projects remain small and localized, our flood damage restorations rarely involve just one room in a home.

It Gets Worse Without Repairs

Uninsured homeowners often try to reverse the damages without assistance or even leave the problem without a solution, hoping it goes away. Flood damages get worse without proper attention and care, with the potential to damage critical structural elements such as support columns and the foundation of your home. Getting assistance from a professional damage restoration company is vital if you hope to avoid these complications.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills works with your insurance to get you the best flood damage restoration service possible in West Hills in as little time as possible. Call us at (818) 998-1500. 

West Hills Residents – Experience the Virtual Skirball Center Hanukkah Celebration

12/1/2020 (Permalink)

Stay safe during the Holiday Season in West Hills. SERVPRO can help protect your homes against storm damage

This Celebration is Available Online for All West Hills, CA Residents

There is no reason you have to miss out on Hanukkah celebrations when virtual connections become available in times of social distancing. The Skirball Hanukkah Celebration is not canceled, and you can take part in it from the comfort of your own living room, virtually! This year, the Virtual 2020: Los Angeles – Skirball Hanukkah Celebration brings viewers the Festival of Lights online. This is a real one-of-a-kind event, fully streamed with all of the festivities that you would see in person.

• Date: Sunday, December 13, 2020
• Time: 3:00 pm
• Where: Online via YouTube streaming from the Skirball Cultural Center
• Cost: Free

Be sure to join just before the streaming event for Hanukkah Show and Tell from 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm.

The holiday season is for bringing everyone together, even when we have to remain apart due to the need for social distancing. If you find that you have fire damage cleanup needs after an emergency in your home, the team at SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills is here to help. Call us at (818) 998-1500, and we will send out a crew as soon as possible to get started.

Canoga Park Business Professionals – Weekly Beach Café Lunch Meetup

11/23/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO suggests to storm-damaged Canoga Park clients, check out the AIMCP virtual visit for a better networking experience.

The IAMCP Invites You to a Weekly Meetup in Canoga Park During Lunch Hours

Meeting up with other local business professionals in Canoga Park, CA, is the perfect way to network. These connections are even better when lunch is involved, even virtually. Due to local social distancing guidelines, weekly virtual meetups in the area have become the ultimate way to eat your lunch while enjoying the chance to talk with other International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP) chapter members. This is a weekly event taking place online on Tuesdays, so you have multiple chances to join in!

• Date: Tuesday, December 1st, 2020 (and every Tuesday following)
• Time: 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
• Where: Virtually
• Cost: Free

If you cannot meet on December 1st, this is a recurring event that you can take advantage of on a Tuesday lunch break when your schedule allows.

Networking and communicating with business owners and homeowners alike in the area is vital to our crew at SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills. If you need reliable water restoration at your home, you can reach our skilled IICRC-certified technicians by calling (818) 998-1500. We arrive quickly to get to work so that your interior will be “Like it never even happened.”

Why Call for Skilled Assistance after Storms Rage Through the Canoga Park Region?

11/14/2020 (Permalink)

When stormy weather threatens to close down your local Canoga Park H.S.--call SERVPRO!

SERVPRO Meticulously Executes Stormwater Removal, Leaving No Stone Unturned, to Restore Your Canoga Park Property to Pre-Loss Condition

Originally a town by the name of Owensmouth, Canoga Park got its start amidst San Fernando Valley barley fields. This settlement was founded back in 1912 and later became Canoga Park in 1931. Little did everyone know that this was the first step into turning this small portion of farmland into rapidly growing suburbia.

For many decades, the location of Owensmouth/Canoga Park is what kept it from becoming developed. Additionally, many of the landholders wanted to ensure that the land was preserved for mainly agricultural use throughout the area. Even while suburban settlements like Burbank and Calabasas took hold, ranches along with fields of orchards and wheat prevailed.

When the first decade of the 20th Century came to a close, the climate changed, and along with it came the popularity of automobiles and electric railways. This was when everything started moving fast, thus putting Canoga Park on the map with population and business growth.

Canoga Park, CA, Today

Nestled amidst the stunning western region of the San Fernando Valley, Canoga Park is a unique and diverse neighborhood. Taking a look at the landscape, you will find a broad range of ranch-style, modest homes with a few developments, condos, and living communities. The town boasts a variety of affordable restaurants catering to many tastes, including everything from Vietnamese or Italian cuisine to Mexican, Thai, burgers, bakeries, and more.

Some of the top restaurants located within Canoga Park include:

• Dog Haus: Situated on Topanga Canyon Boulevard, this is a locally owned and operated eatery offering the best burgers and hot dogs in the area. Locals and travelers alike will enjoy this restaurant for the fast-paced ordering, outdoor seating, and takeout.
• Broad Street Oyster Company: If you are looking for delectable seafood, this restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway is a stellar choice. You cannot only hire this team for catering, but you will also have a menu loaded with just about any seafood concoction you can imagine.
• New York Chicken & Gyro: When you are craving halal or Mediterranean cuisine, then New York Chicken & Gyro on Topanga Canyon Boulevard is a must. This establishment is family owned and operated, including options for takeout, delivery, and plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the local climate.
• Oi Asian Fusion: This Filipino Asian fusion restaurant destination can be found on Canoga Ave. The menu overflows with everything from their famous Dynamite Fries to the must-try Oi Burger.

Must-See Shopping and Attractions Around Canoga Park, CA

Each city is unique when it comes to hidden gems and sightseeing options, with Canoga Park being no exception. Not only is the landscape stunning throughout the region, but it is also ripe with great places to browse and shop when you are in the area. Some of the top sites to see when exploring the town include:

• Westfield Topanga & The Village: This is an upscale shopping destination known for its inviting, clean ambiance. Whether you are looking to catch a movie, check out exciting shops, or have a bite to eat, there is something here for everyone.
• Sherman Way: Known as the "main street" in Canoga Park, this historic downtown area remains the community's hub. Here, you will find social and cultural offerings, vibrant businesses, antique shops, restaurants, live entertainment, and more. This street is also where you will find the Walk of Hearts, which includes beautiful bronze hearts that have been melded into the sidewalk as a way to offer recognition to local teachers.
• Canoga Park Chamber of Commerce: Established back in 1912, this is one of the oldest chambers within Los Angeles. This local Chamber of Commerce has worked through the years to ensure the ideals and quality of life for the residents and businesses alike are well tended-to.

Canoga Park, CA, Weather and Climate History

As with many areas throughout the beautiful state of California, many people like to visit or move to Canoga Park for the incredible climate. This is a region that sees an average of 200 to 375 hours of sunshine each month throughout the calendar year. The temperatures range from mild to moderate, with some hotter months in the year. Taking a look at precipitation, there is an average of less than eight rainy days each month. However, there is a history of severe storms in the area that bring on flooding and substantial storm damage. Whenever a storm brings significant rain and wind, it is vital for all local businesses and homeowners alike to have ample means for cleanup and stormwater removal. This is where skilled restoration technicians can help with rapid action, fast extraction, and detailed cleaning and sanitizing.

Why Look to SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills for Removal of Water After a Storm?

Not Only Can Canoga Park, CA, Residents Count on Rapid Stormwater Removal, but SERVPRO Also Implements Industry-Proven Drying Methods for Best Results

Nobody expects that a storm will leave their interior with immense flooding and the potential for costly damage. However, being prepared will reduce the blow, which means having skilled cleanup technicians to handle the job. SERVPRO can come to your Canoga Park property to assess the water, taking the time to test for contamination. This allows us the best path to proceed with careful cleanup and drying methods to ensure everything is, "Like it never even happened."

When called for rapid stormwater removal in Canoga Park, we utilize commercial-grade extractors and pumps to pull out as much standing water as possible. From there, we use different techniques to ensure relative humidity gets restored to normal levels and no hidden moisture pockets get left behind.

• We calibrate our meters and sensors to the materials, such as drywall and wood, to measure for moisture.
• Extraction may take multiple passes, but our crews work to minimize the impact of secondary damage, taking the time to adjust as we go.
• All tools get selected based on several factors, such as the moisture present and the space affected within your home.

For prompt, reliable results when you require stormwater removal, count on the skilled technicians at SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills. With one call to (818) 998-1500, we send out a team to begin extraction and drying so that your interior gets back to preloss condition faster.

Visit Candy Cane Lane Near Canoga Park

11/3/2020 (Permalink)

We are excited to see the city light up with Christmas lights.

Canoga Park is Five Minutes from Candy Cane Lane Christmas Lights

Homeowners in the Woodland Hills area have embraced the Christmas spirit. They install thousands of lights for all to enjoy in a variety of colorful displays. The displays include:

• Entire homes decorated with lights
• Lifesize Santa’s
• Decorated Christmas trees
• Santa’s sleigh and reindeer
• Trains full of gifts
• Elves and snowmen
• Polar bears and much more

Eight blocks in Lubao and Oxnard streets have been getting into the Christmas spirit for the past 60 years. Everyone should see this impressive display. Candy Cane lane opens mid-December. The lights go on approximately 6 pm on opening night with Christmas music to celebrate the season. The lights are on display until Christmas eve. The street is closed to vehicles allowing everyone to stroll along the road safely while enjoying the show.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills provides professional fire and smoke restoration services to Canoga Park residential, business customers, and the surrounding area. Call (818) 998-1500. We are available 24/7 to help with all fire damage restoration needs.

Where Can Owners Get Mold Safely Removed from Their Canoga Park Homes?

10/31/2020 (Permalink)

Removing mold from your home needs to be done quickly and safely. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for professional remediation and mitigation services.

For Safe, Professional Removal, Canoga Park Residents Call SERVPRO

Why Do Homeowners Need SERVPRO to Eliminate Mold?

Why SERVPRO for Canoga Park? It’s not just that We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster, it is also the level of expertise and the extensive inventory of cleaning agents and equipment our technicians bring to every home. Our technicians follow the guidelines set out by the industry’s Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and carefully adhere to the state safety requirements.

What Methods Do Technicians Use?

To start mold removal in Canoga Park, our technicians use several methods:

• Vacuuming and Wiping – Dry and settled spores often mix with dust. Technicians remove most of these spores with a vacuum and a HEPA filter designed to catch loose spores for disposal. For small or difficult to reach areas, they use a dry sponge. If the mold layer is thick, they may apply water or a mild, anti-bacterial cleaner. 
• Agitation – For thick, sticky layers of mold, technicians need to break up the mold for removal. They can use brushes with or without a cleaning agent, scrapers, and even powered agitation devices, making certain not to harm the surface being cleaned 
• Demolition – In some cases, mold hyphae penetrate property, like wall and ceiling panels, too deeply and have compromised the structural integrity. Technicians carefully break down this material and bag it for safe removal from the home without accidentally spreading mold throughout the residence. 

Is There Anything Else Homeowners Need to Worry About When It Comes to Mold?

Active mold can cause health problems for some people. Since we cannot remove all mold from any home, SERVPRO concentrates its efforts on the effects that active spores have on the residential and structural property. 

For more information about SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills, IICRC guidelines, or anything else about restoring your home here or in Winnetka, call us today at (818) 998-1500. We are here to make a mold infestation “Like it never even happened.”  

Click here for more information about Canoga Park.

Are Flood Damages Reversible for Residential Properties?

10/21/2020 (Permalink)

Canoga Park Homeowners Know to Call SERVPRO for Flood Damage Mitigation--We Strive to Restore and Not Replace, Like this Photo!

SERVPRO Flood Damage Recovery Teams Can Return your Canoga Park Home to a Pre-loss Condition After Natural Disasters.

A large weather event can cause flooding of your Canoga Park home. While most flooding situations that we come across result from burst water pipes or broken appliances, natural disasters can also lead to floodwater intrusion for residents. When dealing with flood losses, the two crucial factors are the amount of water entering the building and that water source. Generally, storm-related losses involve hundreds, if not thousands, of gallons of water entering a property. In the case of flash flooding, this water may contain massive contamination, dangerous to human health. We recommend that you avoid contact with flooded areas of the property and contact a local restoration service like SERVPRO as soon as possible to reduce losses.

What are black water impacts, and how do they affect loss recovery after a natural disaster?

The impact of flood damage in your Canoga Park home is usually calculated based on the category of water contamination. Blackwater, which is also known as category three water, is unsanitary water. Floods may carry silt and debris into your home alongside human pathogens or chemicals like pesticides. The dangerous nature of blackwater makes it necessary to perform the replacement of porous materials in your home. These materials could include carpets, textiles, and light-weight parts of a structure's building assembly like drywall. Some expensive fabrics in the home may be restorable even after black water exposure using advanced cleaning equipment. However, cheaper materials are replaced to avoid disease or other contamination remaining in the house after a flood.

How are high-value rugs cleaned after black water exposure?

• Mechanical cleaning takes place using an Esporta washing machine to remove up to 99% of contaminants.
• The material is treated with a powerful biocide cleaning agent to remove any harmful bacteria or viruses.
• An industrial hygienist, if required, inspects the clean, dry rug to confirm that it is safe to reuse

Are hard-woods non-salvageable after exposure to black water?

Often expensive, resilient materials such as hardwood are recoverable from high-level water exposure. The cost of replacing these materials and the working hours required to reconstruct parts of the home far outweighs the cost of restoring these pieces of structure. Hardwoods are frequently saveable because they can handle powerful cleaning agents, biocides, disinfectants, and bleaches. SERVPRO can often recover these materials through careful cleaning and drying- even during black water emergencies. We operate quickly to save floor finishes as well as building framing. The less time a semi-porous material is exposed to black water, the less damage it takes on. Working quickly to dry these items is critical to the mitigation of losses in your home.

What types of harm does water exposure cause to hardwood?

• Warping or buckling occurs as wood expands from absorbing excessive quantities of moisture. You may see pressure at the joints, and, in some cases, buckling becomes permanent after drying.
• Cupping creates a concave shape from wooden materials and results from water exposure from the sides or back. It is often possible to sand floorboards and remove cupping.
• Crowning occurs when water exposure warps wood into a convex shape and creating an arch. Crowning can happen when drying efforts are too aggressive and typically cannot be sanded out.

How do water technicians control hardwood floor losses?

Monitoring is an essential technique when dealing with valuable materials like hardwood floors. The monitoring process uses equipment like thermal hygroscopes, moisture sensors, and probes to regularly assess solid materials' moisture content. Some losses can occur as a direct result of over-drying, such as crowning. To avoid these types of losses, SERVPRO technicians ensure that woods return to their natural moisture content of around 12% without letting the materials dry out too much. Restoring floors can take months, but with careful measurements and techniques, we can return them to a preloss condition, often by sanding and refinishing the damaged materials.

What happens to wood products like particleboard after water exposure?

• Materials held together by glue can often be non-salvageable as water exposure wears away the adhesive causing the ply to fall apart.
• To restore wood materials, the wettest point must be within 4% of its natural moisture content.
• Delamination of wood products can lead to disintegration and usually require professional replacement.

Flooding can lead to vast amounts of water exposure in your home. This exposure can include harmful substances, which may require extensive disinfectant and replacement of affected materials. Contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

Do Commercial Businesses Have to Use the Restoration Company Recommended by the Insurance Company?

10/6/2020 (Permalink)

We are equipped to handle any scope of water damage to your business. Call us today!

Every Minute a Water Damaged Business in Canoga Park is not Operating Means a Potential Loss in Revenues and Higher Expenses

Whenever there is water damage in Canoga Park business buildings, most business owners want to immediately clean up the damage. Partnering with professional restoration companies is essential to this process.

SERVPRO has more than 20 years of water damage restoration experience in Canoga Park and surrounding areas. We have worked with all insurance companies over the years and have an excellent reputation with them. Clients have the freedom to hire whatever company they prefer. Our clients know they can depend on us:

• Onsite in less than four hours
• Over 20 years of experience
• Exceptional working relationships with all insurance companies and adjusters
• Twenty-four / seven availability and dedication to focus on returning to normal business operations as soon as possible.

We have the equipment, the experience, and the trained resources to manage any water damage situation, regardless of the size.

Does the Insurance Adjuster Need to be Onsite Before Starting Cleanup?

The insurance adjuster may not arrive onsite for a few hours or even not until the next day. Many insurance policies require policyholders to do whatever they can to prevent additional water damage to the structure and contents. Reducing further damage is in the best interest of the business owner. General steps that every client should consider include:

• Turn off or stop the source of the water.
• Make sure it is safe to enter the area.
• Call your insurance company, confirm coverage, and obtain a claim number.
• They may provide names of several water restoration companies to call.
• Call SERVPRO. We can be there in less than four hours.
• Take lots of pictures to confirm the damage.

Many clients begin moving items out of the area. Just do not throw anything out until the adjuster has completed their assessment.

Our team can assist with all of these steps and return your business to normal operations quickly. Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills (818) 998-1500 to assist with your business's water damage restoration.

How Do Professionals Remove Soot and Smoke Residues from Ceilings?

9/24/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Says Let Us Clean the Sooty Deposits from Your Canoga Park Home after a Fire, "Like it never even happened."

Residents of Canoga Park Often Choose Professional Fire Restoration Technicians to Perform Cleaning and Odor Control after a Housefire.

Is it safe to clean fire damage myself?

Once a fire marshall clears your Canoga Park property for safe entry, you can re-enter and perform light-cleaning duties. The main risk of performing fire restoration by yourself is spreading around soot or smoke residues and maintaining safety in the structure. While most noxious fire gases disperse within the first few hours, small debris or soots inhaled or ingested can have health effects. Professional technicians have both the necessary skills to identify different types of smoke residue and the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) to perform the task. Often, identifying the types of smoke residue can be a massive help in restoring walls or ceilings.

What light-cleaning can I do in a fire-damaged property?

• Open windows to provide natural ventilation of the area
• Cover items or surfaces, especially carpets, with sheets or other barriers
• Perform light vacuuming of surfaces

Why do experts vacuum properties with fire damage?

When you use a fire restoration expert in Canoga Park, you may notice them using vacuums in the property during the early stages. Soiling on walls can often be a composite of different smoke residues. Vacuuming surfaces help to dislodge and remove dry smoke residues from the body. By performing light-vacuuming of an area, we can guard against spreading or setting soots by introducing water. A SERVPRO technician can remove dry soot relatively easily. However, for wet soots, there is a decision-making process that requires testing and a range of oil-based or water-based cleaning methods.

What cleaning products are used during fire restoration?

• Oil-based solvent chemicals
• Water-based solvents and detergents
• Deodorant chemicals to mask or eliminate odors

If a housefire covers your property in smoke or soot residues, contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 now.

How Does Flooding Impact Local Cell Phone Service in Canoga Park?

9/20/2020 (Permalink)

Our technicians follow standards set by the IICRC and OSHA. Contact us when facing flooding, regardless of the source.

SERVPRO Technicians Remove Flood Damage from Canoga Park Homes to Return Them to Pre-Loss States

According to recent data from the Brooklyn nonprofit First Street, as many as 14.6 million homes in the United States today are at risk of flooding. While FEMA maps offer a great deal of insight into where flooding is most likely to affect residents, these maps provide somewhat broad data on floodplains in 87% of the country. Canoga Park residents may be surprised to find that a whopping one in five homeowners in Florida and Louisiana alone are at risk of flooding affecting their property.

If your Canoga Park home experiences flood damage, you can call SERVPRO at any time of the day or night to begin the mitigation process. SERVPRO’s commitment to staff education and the use of both tried-and-true techniques in tandem with sophisticated technologies strives to minimize property and structural loss while maximizing savings on repair and replacement expenses.

How Does SERVPRO Training Prepare Professionals for Flood Damage Cleanup?

SERVPRO technicians, staff, and franchise owners alike undergo extensive training and certification to ensure that services rendered are up to date with restoration industry cleanup techniques and standards. Staff must also meet SERVPRO training standards to ensure a consistently high standard of mitigation and restoration.

SERVPRO’s training and education resources include the following:

• Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) Training and Certification for staff.
• Employee Certification Training in such subjects as fire and water damage restoration.
• Initial Franchise Training at SERVPRO’s Corporate Training Facility, targeted at new franchise owners.
• Continued Education Classes that provide both credit and noncredit learning opportunities for SERVPRO staff as well as insurance and real estate professionals.
• E-Learning opportunities that continually test and improve staff knowledge while encouraging self-paced coaching and study of restoration industry subjects.

What are Some Tips for Using Cell Phones During a Flood Damage Situation?

While SERVPRO can take care of the flood damage on your Canoga Park property, it is crucial to know how to stay in touch with the communities and emergency services as needed during a flood or related natural disaster.

• Text whenever possible instead of making calls. Not only do text messages require less battery power and data to transmit, but they can still be sent even when your cell phone signal is weak, and Internet access is limited.
• Expect cell network congestion. In a flood or other emergency, many customers are going to be making a much higher number of phone calls than usual, which can create difficulties in making phone calls or accessing your phone network.
  
  If you need to make a call and notice you have a slow dial tone on a landline or you see rapid busy signals on your cell phone, hang up and try again after several seconds minimum. Avoid non-emergency phone calls during this time to minimize network congestion.
• Limit social media usage. While social media is an excellent tool for keeping family and friends informed during an emergency, some users may be compelled to use it to attempt to get in touch with emergency services, as was the case during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. However, first responders cannot monitor social media to such an extensive degree. If you need emergency services, give them a call.
  
  Some social media sites, like Facebook and Instagram, can also take up a considerable amount of battery power quickly on phones, tablets, and laptops. Use these apps and sites sparingly to let your loved ones know you are safe and focus on conserving battery life if you are unsure when your Canoga Park property’s power can be restored.

What Types of Services is SERVPRO Licensed to Render?

Your local SERVPRO sports a variety of accreditations to maximize the number of services available for structural and contents restoration. Technician certifications include the following:

• Applied Microbial Remediation
• Applied Structural Drying
• Water Damage Restoration

These services are the backbone of addressing flood damage concerns, including mold growth, structural damage to subfloors and drywall, and safely removing moisture with industrial-grade air movement and dehumidification equipment. SERVPRO technicians also provide odor control services to remove flood debris and water damage related odors from your Canoga Park home.

On top of these technician certifications, SERVPRO is an Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified firm with additional certification in General and/or Construction Industry Training as provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills keeps disaster-affected homes looking, “Like it never even happened.” Call (818) 998-1500 for professional cleanup services.

How Do I Make Sure My Ceiling Does Not Collapse after a Water Leak?

9/1/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO may salvage wet insulation in your Canoga Park attic or crawlspace with swift water extraction and drying.

SERVPRO Takes Safety Precautions While Restoring Water Damaged Materials in Your Canoga Park Home

An upstairs bathroom leak that goes unnoticed can seep through the ceiling, potentially causing further damage to your Canoga Park property. It is essential first to make sure you stop the leak, to mitigate further harm. Then, while you wait for the professionals at SERVPRO to arrive, you should stay clear of the area for safety reasons. You may want to move or cover furniture for additional protection against further leaking. Don't! Stay safe and let us move or cover the furnishings. Technicians cut around the damaged drywall to expose the cavity, enabling the drying process.

Does Moisture Impact Insulation Above the Drywall?

SERVPRO Determines the Salvageability of Your Drywall

While undergoing the water damage restoration project for your Canoga Park home, our trained SERVPRO professionals typically remove insulation along with the hanging building material comprising the ceiling. When trapped, moisture can foster mold growth within your insulation and the ceiling cavity. Additionally, moisture lessons the insulating properties, making it less likely to insulate your home correctly.

What types of Insulation may be in my attic crawlspace?

• Fiberglass: More durable than cellulose and rockwall, but if vapor barriers become damaged, moisture may get in and increase the risk of mold growth.
• Cellulose: Usually becomes matted when wet, rendering it ineffective. It also lessens fire resistance and anti-microbial properties.
• Rockwool: It also becomes matted and loses effectiveness. Besides, the metal components may rust.

Regardless of the type of insulation in your ceiling, the ceiling cavity should be emptied for adequate drying procedures. Technicians extract the moisture using portable vacs with hoses, and then actively dry the cavity with directed airflow.  After they measure moisture levels to ensure they are at the proper preloss levels, technicians begin the replacement of insulation and hang new drywall panels. We make it, "Like it never even happened."

For 24/7 assistance with water damage, contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

Which Questions Should You Ask Mold Removal Companies?

8/15/2020 (Permalink)

Hey Canoga Park Homeowners--Don't Wait Until the Mold Ruins Your House--Call SERVPRO for Remediation

What Should You Look for in Canoga Park Area Mold Removal Companies?

Canoga Park residents lead busy lives, which means that when they need to hire someone to help with a household problem, they do not have a lot of time to waste finding the right person for the job.

Mold is an issue that can quickly arise in a home – so long as there are moisture and material such as drywall or wallpaper for food, spores can grow. Mold can cause health effects, so it is much better to call in a Canoga Park mold removal company than to try and handle remediation by yourself.

Naturally, you want to be sure you are choosing a remediation company that is professional and reliable. Here are some questions to ask to help you make a decision.

Do they promise complete mold removal?

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills knows that the promise of mold removal is enticing. A home with no mold sounds like a great thing. However, it is essential to realize that complete mold removal is not possible. This is because spores occur naturally throughout the environment, and can quickly move from place to place on:

• Clothes and footwear
• Air currents
• Pets and even shopping bags or purses

As you can see, it is not possible to completely eradicate mold. However, mold removal companies can remediate mold – this means getting rid of visible patches and stains, and then drying out your home to discourage further spore growth.

How fast can I expect a response

The longer you leave mold, the more chance it has to grow and spread. Thankfully, SERVPRO works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so that we can be Faster To Any Size Disaster. No job is too big or too small, and you can trust us to arrive quickly and get to work straight away.

What kind of testing and monitoring equipment do they use?

Inspection, not actual testing and monitoring are an essential part of mold remediation. SERVPRO technicians inspect your home for visible and invisible moisture patches before they begin cleaning and restoration. A thorough understanding of how much moisture is present helps us decide on a cleaning and drying plan.

We test the moisture in your home using thermal hygrometers, moisture meters, moisture sensors, and thermal imaging. We continue to use these tools to monitor progress until we are satisfied with the result.

Do they employ containment as part of their remediation process?

Containment is essential, and all reputable mold removal companies use it to prevent the spread of spores throughout your home. SERVPRO teams set up containment before cleaning begins. In some cases, containment means switching off heating and cooling systems and making sure no unauthorized personnel walks through the area. In more advanced mold remediation situations, containment might include setting up physical barriers or even using negative air machines to trap spores and vent them outside the building. We can erect spring-loaded supports with 6-mil thick polypropylene sheets to create temporary barriers which also limit the treatment area for greater efficiency.

Do they train their staff in a range of remediation techniques?

Each mold removal project is different, so we train our staff in a range of remediation techniques.

Our technicians use a variety of cleaning methods, including:

• Spot cleaning for delicate fabrics
• Scrubbing for robust materials such as stainless steel
• Dry cleaning methods for articles that cannot withstand wet cleaning

We assess your home and belongings and decide on the best cleaning methods for each item. We discuss our remediation plan with you before carrying out a single step, so you can rest assured nothing will happen to your items without your explicit permission.

What about the moldy smell – can they help me with that?

SERVPRO understands that the smell of mold can be very unpleasant and makes your home less enjoyable. That is why we finish every mold removal project with deodorization. We use foggers, deodorizing products such as pellets, and air scrubbers, to remove airborne contaminants and restore air quality.

What about home restoration?

In some cases, mold damage can leave your home in need of minor repairs. For example, we might need to remove and replace drywall, re-paint or put down new carpets. Sometimes, a house needs more extensive structural repairs. Ensure your mold removal company can help you with restoration, so you do not have to pay for a separate contractor.

Will they follow up with me after the restoration project is complete?

Our team takes pride in satisfying our customers by meeting all their expectations. After all, we work to restore homes and businesses and leave them usable once more. Our team will always follow up with you after we complete mold remediation, to make sure you are happy with the service we gave you, and to answer any last questions you have.

For a professional mold remediation service, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

Does Water Damage Restoration Include Office Furniture?

8/10/2020 (Permalink)

Our water damage experts are trained in a wide variety of restoration needs, even upholstery and fabric cleaning and odor control. Call us today.

Canoga Park Business Owners Need Water Damage Restoration They Can Rely On.

Anyone who owns a company in Canoga Park knows that office furniture is a costly part of setting up business premises. Office furniture needs to be reliable, sturdy, and ergonomic enough to be comfortable to work with.

In the event of water damage to a Canoga Park office, you need a water mitigation team that understands the importance of caring for your furniture.

What are the risks to office furniture from water damage?

Water can wreak havoc with office furniture:

Upholstery and cushions can become waterlogged

Wooden furniture is in danger of warping

Textiles might suffer from stains and discoloration

Furniture might leave rust stains on the carpet

Damp furniture smells unpleasant and can even foster mold growth

Naturally, you do not want to replace your office furniture if you can avoid it. Office furniture is not cheap, and it is better to save it if you possibly can, rather than buy new.

What can SERVPRO do to restore office furniture?

SERVPRO understands that your desks, chairs, and other textiles are essential to the running of your business. There's several things that we can do to help mitigate water damage to your furnishings:

Use fans and air movers to help furniture dry faster

Bring in dehumidifiers to aid drying by drawing moisture from the air

Carry out spot cleaning on damaged upholstery and textiles

Use deodorizing chemicals and air scrubbers to get rid of that nasty damp smell

What about the rest of the office?

Do not worry – restoring your desks and chairs is one small part of our work. We also take care of drying out carpets and rugs, drying wall cavities and vents, and carrying out restoration throughout your building. We tackle mold risks and leftover musty odors to ensure you can get back to business quickly. We can also work with insurance adjusters on your behalf, to lessen your stress.

We are Faster To Any Size Disaster, and customer satisfaction is of utmost importance.

If you have concerns about water damage in your business, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

See more about Canoga Park.

My Property has Fire Damage. How Do I Handle It?

8/4/2020 (Permalink)

You can trust the SERVPRO brand to restore you home. We are always available to take your call.

Contact SERVPRO Technicians in West Hills for an Effective Fire Damage Restoration 

Dealing with a fire's aftermath can be overwhelming if you do not have the right skills and equipment. If you do not conduct the restoration process quickly, the soot and smoke residues left behind can worsen matters. Therefore, it is essential to act fast by engaging with professionals from a reliable company like SERVPRO to minimize the damage in your West Hills property. 

What does a reliable restoration company do? 

Our primary objective is to reduce the risk of further damage and salvage as much property as possible. Our experienced technicians can perform fire damage restoration in your West Hills home. We can also work with your insurance company to help streamline the claims process. 

How do you handle the different kinds of fire damage? 

Our highly trained restorers can assess the damage and provide you with an overview of the affected surfaces and items. We can also identify salvageable items and those damaged beyond repair. Here is how we deal with different types of fire damage: 

• Complex fire: When natural and synthetic items in your property have burned, they produce black smoke residues that settle on contents and surfaces. The valuables also cause synthetic smoke odors in the house. Our technicians perform emergency corrosion mitigation to protect the surfaces.
• Protein fire: When food rich in protein burns in the oven or stove, it leaves behind a persisting odor and smoke residues on surfaces. Since the residues are oily, SERVPRO technicians can use concentrated wood oil soap to clean soot from wooden surfaces. 

What should I expect during the restoration process? 

Fire can damage various surfaces of your property. Each surface may need a specialized cleaning technique. In some extreme cases, the fire damage may not be visible if it occurred behind walls. We take the following steps to restore homes. 

• Thorough inspection: Our technicians inspect a property to determine the intensity of the damage. Once we complete our initial assessment, our technicians can explain the restoration process.
• Stop further damage: Our technicians can remove your valuable items from the affected property to prevent additional damage. We can repack your dishes in clean newsprint. If the firefighters used water to combat the flames, we could use light wands to extract the carpet's water.
• Clean up: Fire and smoke residues react with different surfaces, especially when mixed with water. Our technicians can use various advanced cleaning agents and hi-tech equipment to salvage your flooring, furniture, and other valuable items. We can use a glass cleaner to clean soot from your window glass and Formica surfaces.  

If a fire has ruined your property, contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500. We can handle the fire loss effectively to make it "Like it never even happened." 

More about West Hills.

What Can I Do to Restore My West Hills Home After Storm Flooding?

7/31/2020 (Permalink)

Seasonal flooding can come in quick, let SERVPRO take over.

Bring In SERVPRO to Restore Your West Hills Home 

How Much of a Risk Is Flooding to My Residence? 

Located so close to the shore, the chance of flood damage to West Hills homes is a given every year from seasonal storms. Each SERVPRO Response Team trains to eliminate the effects of flooding by not only removing water, and drying the structure and property inside the home, but also dealing with the special problems presented by it. 

Why Is Flood Water More Damaging Than Water from My Clothes Washer? 

Floodwater from a storm contains a bit of debris from every surface it crossed before flooding into your West Hills home. That means soil, fertilizers, trash from the gutters, and possibly sewer backup as well. In addition to all of the contaminants and debris, ocean water is extremely salty. If left long enough, the salt can pit and ruin everything from your kitchen linoleum to the car in your garage. 

To eliminate these effects, Response Teams use cleaning agents that do more than remove soil and other solid particles. They also contain an anti-bacterial agent that neutralizes the health risk from possible pathogens in some of the debris and stops the growth of mold in the home. For autos and other items outside the home, team members have the option to spray clean water to remove salt residues before using any cleaners. 

Are There Any Special Requirements For Drying After Flooding?

No, once our SERVPRO specialists complete the necessary steps for cleaning your property, drying methods are the same for a home regardless of the water source. Team members use a combination of dehumidifiers, fans, and air movers to lower the interior moisture, force damp air outside, and draw water out of property surfaces. 

To schedule a service visit or find out more about how SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills can help you recover after a flood, call us at (818) 998-1500 today. 

To learn more about West Hills, click here.

What Crucial Factors Should I Consider When Hiring Water Restoration Companies in Canoga Park?

7/26/2020 (Permalink)

The longer water is sitting in your home the more damage it is going to do. Contact SERVPRO quickly for water damage remediation.

Assistance from SERVPRO Can Help Resolve Problems and Prevent Future Issues from Such an Incident

After a water spill happens in your home, you may realize that you do not have the time or resources necessary to clean and dry the property, restoring preloss conditions. Hiring a water restoration company can lift the burden off your shoulders. However, you might not be sure whether every company offering such services in Canoga Park can deliver the results you expect, or work with your preferred timelines.

When should I call water restoration companies after water intrudes my Canoga Park home?

Water loss situations in your Canoga Park home can arise at any time, including late at night. You might not be sure whether it is a bother to call at such hours. Finding a company that can respond to your distress call at any hour can change the outcome of an incident positively. For instance, SERVPRO has customer service staff ready to respond to your call 24 hours a day. Even though the restoration crews might not arrive at your property immediately, the customer service representatives can give you some useful tips on what to do as you wait for help, thus reducing the level or types of damages that occur. Some of the tips might include:

• Removing area rugs, books, and other items from carpeted floors
• How to locate and turn off the main water supply line
• Which items you can move from the affected section of your house

Water spills in your Canoga Park home can lead to significant repair costs, such as replacement of wall-to-wall carpets due to heavy staining. Staining mostly develops because of dye transfer from items lying on the carpet. Removing items such as draperies, area rugs, clothes, or books from the wet carpet minimizes the sources of such dyes, thus limiting the possibility of widespread staining. 

Extended exposure to water or even high humidity levels in the air can cause significant damage to some of the valuables you have in your house. Stopping the source limits further water release into the property. Alternatively, moving items such as electronic appliances away from the affected rooms limits the level of moisture exposure, thus limiting the chances of internal components rusting.

Where should I search for restoration companies?

The convenience of searching for a service provider online means you can choose one located in a different area. However, choosing a local restoration company puts you at an advantaged position because they can respond faster. At SERVPRO, our commitment is to send a fully equipped crew to your property within 4 hours after notifying us of the problem since we are a locally owned company. Before the main team arrives, we also send a few technicians to perform a professional evaluation of the loss, ensuring that we bring the right type and number of tools to handle the restoration task.    

Faster response to water loss situations helps ensure that unnecessary secondary damages are minimized. For instance, materials such as solid wood or concrete are semi-porous, so they take time to absorb water so faster extraction limits the amount of water that has to be removed through drying. However, once saturated, they can take longer to dry. Wood might also swell, warp, or develop other physical damages from water exposure. Wood absorbs water in three distinct ways:

• Molecular diffusion through cell walls
• As vapor through cell lumens
• Through capillary tension

Expediting extraction of stagnant water and drying excess moisture from the property is the best way to cut down the different forms of water absorption by wooden materials in your house. Our SERVPRO technicians have access to a variety of pumps and water extractors to complete the task fast. We also set up dehumidifiers around the property to extract moisture from the air preventing absorption through hygroscopic action.

What standards should a renovation company meet?

Many processes performed during the renovation of a water-damaged property require precision. For instance, the wood must be dried to approximately 10% moisture content. The drying process also needs to be gradual to avoid severe outcomes such as cracking. Even the placement and number of equipment used in drying property need proper management to balance the process, preventing issues such as condensation or even mold development. 

Proper training and experience are two necessary factors that help ensure proper management of water loss situations to meet industry standards. Our SERVPRO crews are IICRC certified in fields such as Water Damage Restoration and Applied Structural Drying, ensuring we deliver the best results. 

With assistance from a good restoration company, water damage is manageable. Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to help address any incident, "Like it never even happened."

Flames Engulfed Part of My Kitchen and Smoke Spread to Other Rooms. Who Can Help Me Restore My Home?

7/8/2020 (Permalink)

Cooking accidents happen often but the foul odors can remain for a long time. Contact SERVPRO for efficient remediation services.

Hire a Reputable Firm Like SERVPRO to Perform Fire Damage Restoration in Your Winnetka Property 

Fire leaves most property owners stranded on where to begin after the firefighters leave their homes. Professional restorers can help minimize the secondary damage of a fire and get your Winnetka property to its pre-emergency state in a brief period. Attempting to clean the affected area yourself can lead to additional damage since you may lack the proper skills and equipment to handle the loss.

How long does the restoration process take?

Our team of technicians has years of experience and access to advanced equipment and tools to handle the fire damage in your Winnetka home. With our advanced equipment and effective techniques, we can restore your property in a brief period. Depending on the severity of the damage, our SERVPRO technicians can take less than seven days to get your property to its preloss state.

Can you clean my kitchen appliances? 

Appliances are usually made of materials such as:

Metal

Plastic

Formica

These materials are nonabsorbent, making it easy for our technicians to clean. We can use a wall and all surface cleaner, a water-based detergent to wipe away the smoke residues on their surfaces.

Can you handle the entire restoration process?

We offer a full service and comprehensive solution to fire damage. Therefore, you can trust our SERVPRO team to mitigate the damage and reconstruct the affected areas. We have a contracting division that can offer construction solutions in specific niches such as electrical, plumbing, and drywall reinstallation. Hiring one restoration company can help you save time and money.

How do you deal with persisting odors?

Smoke can travel even in hard to reach areas. Our technicians can use thermal fog deodorants to remove the odors. Thermal fog deodorizers are a blend of aromatic phenolics and odor counteractants. We use a thermal fogger to apply the products and allow them to work overnight. This enables the products to penetrate affected materials, including those in the hard to reach areas.

If a fire has damaged your home, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to help you bring things back to normal. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Learn more about Winnetka

How Do I Clean Up After Widespread Water Loss in a Canoga Park High School?

6/18/2020 (Permalink)

Malfunctioning sprinkler systems can cause significant water damage. Should your system malfunction, call SERVPRO for fast remediation.

When fire suppression systems get tied into the main water supply, a breach in these lines can leave substantial water damage to overcome.  

There are many potential causes for a fire suppression system failure, such as breaking off one of the sprinkler heads or a misinterpreted signal in the system of your Canoga Park high school. Once water is coming from this system and tied into your primary water line servicing the building, you could contend with an endless flow of water until you shut down the water supply to this system. 

Because this plumbing network gets piped throughout the entire structure, many areas could require water restoration in your Canoga Park school. Our team of professionals works to provide complete mitigation solutions beginning as soon as we arrive, including extraction and drying efforts. In the earliest stages of the water loss incident, it is also possible for those within the school to reduce overall losses with some fast actions.  

What Can I Do to Help the Situation Before SERVPRO Arrives?  

There are a few simple steps that you can take before help arrives when it is safe to do so. There are situations where water damages can overwhelm the building too quickly to complete any of these tasks safely, and in these circumstances, it is best to vacate the premises. Safety should always be paramount in water emergencies, but when possible, here are a few steps that you can take: 

• Shut off the water – Often, there is a ball valve attached to the primary feed line for the sprinkler system. Stopping water flow can prevent even more pooling and standing water concerns throughout the school's damaged areas. 

• Identify the affected areas – Depending on the incorrect code or the physical damage to the suppression system, the water concerns might not be in every school area. Identifying the problem areas to convey this to our responding SERVPRO team can save time. 

• Clear out sensitive contents – Documents and materials sensitive to water exposure need moving to a safer area. While we can dry documents with freeze-drying equipment, it is best to prevent these losses altogether.  

How Can Professional Restorers Clean Up the Mess?  

Through both the mitigation and the restoration process, multiple tasks can recover your damaged structure. Cleaning up after a water emergency involves various phases utilizing dozens of tools and machines in our inventory. Ultimately, we can break down the restoration process into specific blocks: 

• Extraction – Removing surface water in Canoga Park is almost always the initial actions taken during water loss incidents. Several tools can meet these criteria, but with the tile flooring throughout most of the school, submersible pumps, wet vacuums, and squeegee wands are often the ideal approaches.

• Drying – Drying can often be a generalized part of the restoration process, but it involves several steps happening in succession. Tools like air movers and dehumidifiers are the foundation of this effort, as they promote airflow and regulate humidity as evaporation occurs.

• Surface Cleaning – Residues and debris are a common obstacle for our SERVPRO professionals after drying. With chemical solvents and abrasive cleaning techniques, we can restore surfaces to their original appearance.

• Moisture Meters – We can double-check our efforts and ensure that we did not miss moisture pockets during our drying phase before finalizing restoration.  

Does SERVPRO Do Repairs and Build Back?  

With a team of in-house contractors, we can offer controlled demolitions for widespread water losses and replace several damaged fixtures and materials. With several areas and materials exposed to standing water before mitigation efforts occurred, several construction solutions might be necessary to make these losses "Like it never even happened." Some of these include: 

• Plumbing Repairs – From replacing the broken fixture on the fire suppression system to a plumbing break in one of the block walls, these repairs allow the lines to get pressurized again and water service restored to the building as soon as possible.

• Ceiling Tile Replacement – Ceiling tiles are a typical installation in schools that can be damaged by sprinkler system malfunctions. Our contractors can replace these materials, which is often more cost-effective than attempting to dry saturated tiles. 

• Carpet Reinstallation – Carpeted areas in the administration offices and performing arts areas can quickly absorb water damage and show clear signs of damage. Replacing these carpets is often the best approach to restoring the affected area as efficiently as possible. 

No matter how severe water losses might be in your school, our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills team can help. Contact us 24/7 at (818) 998-1500.

How Can I Save My West Hills Structure After a Flood?

6/11/2020 (Permalink)

A storm can cause more damage than you realize, call SERVPRO for assistance with your storm damage.

For Professional Assistance After You Suffer From Flood Damage in West Hills Call SERVPRO

After a thunderstorm strikes your West Hills neighborhood and you see significant rainfall, there is a good chance moisture can get into your house through your lower door seals or from groundwater rising. H2O entering your building can cause you several issues with your structure.

How does moisture negatively affect the structure of my house?

If you ever suffer from flood damage in West Hills, our SERVPRO technicians can help reduce the effects of moisture on your structural components. H2O can cause your structural components, building materials, and your possessions to lose integrity if they get saturated. Elevated moisture contents within organic materials like paper or wood can also cause mold growth. Since fungi can cause health effects, we always try to remove all of the moisture inside your building within a 24-hour period to inhibit fungal contamination. 

What items need to get removed after they get wet?

• Insulation- Whenever the insulation that sits inside your walls and ceilings to keep your house warm retains water, the R-value of the material or its ability to hold in heat reduces. In most cases, it is much more cost-effective to remove and replace insulation than it is to try to save it. However, fiberglass insulation can be dried out in certain scenarios.
• Drywall: The sheetrock that makes up your walls can lose its structural integrity when it retains moisture and can get ruined. Since water follows gravity, it is usually the lower part of your drywall that gets damaged.  If only the bottom sections of your drywall get saturated, then we can perform flood cuts, which means that we can remove your drywall a foot or two from your floor.

Flooding conditions can cause the building materials that make up your structure to weaken when they soak up moisture. If you ever think any of your structural components got wet, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

Can You Help Remove Water from My Home After It Flooded?

6/2/2020 (Permalink)

With SERVPRO's Advanced Equipment--from Moisture Meters to Extractors and Dehumidifiers--We can restore your Canoga Park Home

When it Comes to Water Removal, SERVPRO Has the Techniques and Tools to Refresh Your Canoga Park Home

Water flowing throughout your interior after a pipe burst presents a variety of obstacles. Our team of fully-trained water restoration technicians (WRT) at SERVPRO not only arrives promptly to your home in Canoga Park, but we also have a specialized process and all the right tools for the job. We use a range of advanced techniques to remove water and ensure no moisture is left behind so that your interior is just “Like it never even happened.”

How Do You Address Water Cleanup?

We formulate a detailed plan for each project involving water removal in Canoga Park. Based on our initial assessment of the water loss, we select the right equipment and the best course of action to proceed. Some of the many options we have on our trucks to remove water include:

• Truck-Mounted Extractors – These are powerful 300psi pumps mounted on our vehicles that can handle the removal of hundreds to thousands of gallons of water.
• Submersible Pumps – These machines are not only efficient and fast but also operate quietly. As some of the most commonly used tools in our Green Fleet, they have powerful discharge and are very easy to set up.
• Wet Vacs – These wet vacuums are ideal for picking up where the submersible pumps leave off. The wet vac provides constant suction and easily remove the surface water so that our team can move onto the next phase of drying your interior.

How Long Will Drying Take?

The length of time necessary for adequately drying your home depends on the saturated materials and how long they have been exposed to moisture. We use a unique formula that tells us how many industrial-strength fans, air movers, and dehumidifiers we have to place in the loss zone to ramp up drying.

Water removal in your home is a task we are ready to take on at SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills. Call us at (818) 998-1500 to have a team deployed to your location 24/7 for emergency service.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned – a defensive cleaning program

5/20/2020 (Permalink)

Our defensive cleaning program gives your business a way forward by providing your employees and customers ongoing safety and assuredness.

Let us help you get back to business

As our communities re-open in Canoga Park, we’re all moving back toward a new kind of normal. The expectations of visitors, customers, and employees who come into our establishments have evolved, and staying safe and well is a top concern. The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be clean, and we’ve developed a program to help your business meet the new higher standard of clean that is now expected.

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned is a defensive cleaning program we’re offering to businesses and commercial locations to address the current COVID-19 pandemic. This proactive viral pathogen cleaning program goes well beyond janitorial or carpet cleaning. By choosing Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you, your employees, your customers, and your community can rest assured that you’ve selected a higher cleaning standard – you are Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.

Extensive training and specialized products

As the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration*, we stand on more than 50 years of experience and expertise to help your business become Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned.  Beyond fire & water, SERVPRO professionals are trained and experienced in biohazard decontamination and chemical spills – always adhering to the cleaning and decontamination standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local authorities. 

From formulating and creating our proprietary cleaning products, like SERVPROXIDE, at our headquarters in Gallatin, TN, to taking the utmost care while disinfecting, we will ensure you and your business are set up to inspire consumer confidence as the economy continues to reopen.

3 C’s – Consult, Clean, and Certify

When the stakes are this high, you want a partner who has developed an industry leading, proprietary training program, cleaning solutions, and remediation processes over decades. We’ve cleaned up some of the most challenging biohazards imaginable. Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned reflects our unique experiences and capabilities. The program is grounded with our unique 3 C’s: Consult, Clean, and Certify.

• Consult – Every business is different, which is why you’ll be assigned a Cleaning Protocol Consultant who understands your business and will create a cleaning program to meet your specific needs. This program will be developed based on your business type, size of space, amount of high frequency touchpoints, foot traffic and congestion points.
• Clean – Based on your specific business needs, your location will undergo a thorough, deep clean, using exclusive cleaning products, according to protocols set forth by the CDC. Our employees have years of experience, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform. Cleanup procedures generally include cleaning of porous and non-porous surfaces, disinfecting of non-porous surfaces, cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, tools, and/or supplies used for cleanup process, and disposal of hazardous materials.  In the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 event, we will be there cleaning within 24 hours to ensure you get back to business as quickly as possible. 
• Certify - Once your business location has been Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, you will gain access to proprietary signage, digital emblems, and other collateral that communicates that you’ve selected a higher standard of clean available to help protect your employees and customers. And because we add the day, month, and year to that proprietary stamp of clean, your guests will know that not only did you choose Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, but that your location is being cleaned regularly at this standard.

Call today for a Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation

We’re Here to Help – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – until life is back to normal in the communities we all call home.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills today at (818) 998-1500 for your Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned consultation.

* #1 Choice in cleanup & restoration based Commercial Attitude & Usage Tracking study. Polling 816 commercial business decision makers on first choice for future needs related to cleanup & restoration work. Study conducted by C&R Research: October 2019

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned means professionally trained SERVPRO franchises perform the requested cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection services according to proprietary SERVPRO protocols and recognized industry and CDC standards with EPA approved cleaning products to deliver a SERVPRO certified cleaning experience.  Each SERVPRO franchise is independently owned and operated.

What Qualifications Should I Look for When Hiring Flood Restoration Services?

5/19/2020 (Permalink)

Do you have a flood in your Canoga home? Call SERVPRO to mitigate your water filled domain.

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certifications (IICRC) is a Nationally Recognized Body for Restoration Standard setting. IICRC Accreditation Supports a Responsible, Honest Restoration Service for Companies in the West Hills Area.

How long does it take for the restorer to visit my property after arranging a service?

Reporting flood damage in your West Hills home is known as notification of loss. Notification of loss is essential to start restoration proceedings, and, until provided, there is a chance that the situation may become increasingly severe and time-consuming to restore. Once we receive the notification of loss, we can begin to put together the equipment, technicians, and crew chiefs that we need to recover flood losses at your home. We understand that quick call-out times are essential to reducing the amount of damage that a flood causes. SERVPRO promises to arrive at your property within four hours of notification of loss to begin emergency mitigation and services. At times, this may not be possible.

What can I do to secure a flooded property before technicians arrive?

• Prioritize personal safety above trying to prevent losses at all times
• Shut off power to the property thoroughly. Power can lead to fusing, electrical fires or circuit breaks
• Avoid using the plumbing system altogether. Shut and seal doors to rooms with open sewer points like kitchens, shower rooms, and bathrooms
• Gather essential items should you need to relocate from the property temporarily. These items could include identification documents, driving licenses, medicines or insurance paperwork
• Avoid close contact with floodwaters, which can contain high levels of contamination. Be aware that sewer gases, bacteria, and viruses can be present in floodwaters and are harmful to ingest or inhale.

How can I deal with building materials after contaminated water intrusion?

Blackwater intrusion can spread throughout your home, affecting carpets, walls, as well as furniture. In most situations, the restoration requirement is to remove any materials that make direct contact with the water. This can include the lower parts of the walls, including the baseboard. We may need to detach carpets and discard them as well as performing substantial disinfecting of the floor and subfloor. When we perform the invasive restoration, which involves removing building material, we document it in digital inventories to pass onto your insurer. However, we always try to salvage contents and building materials whenever possible.

How can I remove and dispose of building materials properly?

- Wear correct personal protective equipment including respiration masks to avoid ingesting dust or gases

- Inspect building materials for signs of cross-contamination. Items in direct contact with water are contaminated.

- Isolate sections of the building material and remove them up to two feet above the last water contact point

- Place contaminated materials into double sealable polyethylene waste bags

- Remove the offending items from the property.

- Pack the items onto a transport and dispose of them at a waste facility

Is the reinstallation of building materials covered within the cost of my claim?

Your insurer should cover the cost of your restoration from start to finish. Most policies stipulate that homeowners need to take adequate precautions to mitigate harm. However, in the case of a blackwater flooding situation, it is unlikely that the reinstallation of building materials is not included in your claim. SERVPRO water restoration technicians can begin to reinstall drywall, sheetrock, insulation, and other materials once dry out procedure is complete. We are not an insurance company and can only comments that may help your claims process.

Can I turn off drying equipment or open windows in the area where they are set up?

Ensuring that the drying process is efficient means controlling as many variables as possible. SERVPRO technicians may decide that the quickest method of drying an area is by using a closed system. Closed-system drying involves sealing a space from outdoor air and using dehumidification equipment to remove moisture from the environment. A closed-system drying process can take several days before we can remove equipment. By opening windows or shutting off equipment, you are slowing down the drying process and bringing in unknown variables that could lengthen the restoration. SERVPRO technicians return to a property regularly to measure drying effectiveness and ensure your property gets back to its preloss condition as quickly as possible.

Is your drying equipment going to increase my electricity bill?

Drying a property can help to limit secondary damages like mold growth. However, drying does take time, and in many cases, we may have to leave it overnight. We are always investing in eco-efficient drying equipment that does not use more power than necessary. However, we do need to use your mains electricity to power the equipment over several days. Some insurance providers do include this cost in your claim. SERVPRO calculates the electricity used during drying and can pass on the estimated cost of electricity to your insurer at your request.

Recovering a property from floodwater intrusion can be complicated and frustrating. Contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for a professional solution.

What High-Tech Tools Do Commercial Water Removal Services in Canoga Park Use?

5/17/2020 (Permalink)

Water damage can be quite overwhelming. Contact our knowledgeable SERVPRO team when your home is affected.

The Commercial Water Removal Industry Has Advanced Greatly and Currently Employs Numerous New State-Of-The-Art Tools to Perform its Services.

When a person thinks about water removal services, they rarely imagine them as being “high-tech.”  They often think this work is simplistic and merely concerns vacuuming up standing water in fairly conventional ways.  Moreover, people often think that such services are quite limited in their drying methods and ability to preserve or restore affected structures and items.  However, this is not the case in reality.  The industry has advanced dramatically and water removal companies like SERVPRO in Canoga Park have a veritable arsenal of high-tech commercial-grade equipment to resolve even the biggest, most difficult water-related jobs.  

What Technologically Advanced, Commercial-Grade Equipment Does SERVPRO Use?

When performing commercial water removal in Canoga Park, more powerful extractors and dehumidifiers are often necessary.  These tools are needed to ensure that these big jobs can be completed quickly and effectively.  They also help maintain interior climates so that further damage to structures and contents is prevented or mitigated.  SERVPRO uses the following advanced equipment to handle major commercial projects: 

• Industrial-strength truck-mounted extractors
• Low-grain refrigerant (LGR) dehumidifiers
• Large trailer-mounted desiccant dehumidifiers

Using this hardware, our technicians in Canoga Park can quickly vacuum up vast amounts of standing water, remove more moisture from the air in much shorter periods of time, and speed up the overall drying process.

What Exactly Does This High-Tech Hardware Do?

Our truck-mounted extractors are relatively complex and consist of a vacuum, engine, water pump, chemical pump, and heating system.  They can extract water and debris and clean your interiors with heated water and detergent.  LGR dehumidifiers have a double cooling system that condenses large amounts of moisture out of the air, even below forty grains/pound.  Trailer-mounted dehumidifiers, using wheels coated with silica gel and other adsorbents, attract enormous amounts of moisture from incoming air and then release it into the out-going airstream.  These large appliances rapidly reduce the humidity ratio and water vapor pressure, and maintain an environment conducive to drying.

When disaster strikes your business, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for help. 

Click here for more information about Canoga Park.

Will My Flood Damaged Home Ever Get Back to Normal?

4/22/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is removing the contaminated carpets from the storm damage

SERVPRO Helps Canoga Park Residents Restore their Homes with Professional Flood Extraction Techniques

Groundwater flooding can wreak havoc in your Canoga home , including your interior should the water infiltrate. Standing water puts a great deal of pressure on your walls, but there is also the potential of contamination. This is why it is essential to call in the help of trained professionals. We have the skills and all of the latest advancements in technology to restore your home to preloss condition.

What Can You Do to Help Lessen Flood Damage to My Home?

Once you call us at SERVPRO to help with your flood extraction in Canoga Park, we send out a team to get started. We begin by evaluating your home to help determine the level of destruction, which allows us to come up with a viable plan for drying all impacted areas. With one phone call, you can expect:

• A rapid response
• A written estimate that is always fair, fast, and accurate
• IICRC-certified professionals ready to get to work on your extraction and restoration
• High-quality restoration work that brings your home back to pre-flood loss condition

What are Pack Out Services?

In certain water damage and flooding situations, it is best to store the contents of your home away from your property while extraction and restoration go on. Separate storage is often helpful to mitigate against the potential for further loss as our team works to restore your interior and the structure of your home. Our technicians take a detailed inventory of all of your possessions, including their condition as well as the rooms where they belong. What this does is ensure you are covered should there be any damages in transit.

Can I Save My Carpets?

Wet carpeting from floodwater can pose a potential health hazard due to the contaminants within. Our team knows how to determine whether or not your carpet can be cleaned and dried or if it should be replaced. In the majority of flood situations, the wet carpet and padding below must be removed, and the subfloor needs special attention to dry thoroughly. Once the carpet is saturated, it often loses backing, becomes delaminated, and becomes a prime source for foul, musty odors. This removal allows us to dry the wooden materials and prevent fungal growth from developing.

What Happens After Extraction Is Complete?

Once the water is removed from your home, our trained technicians strategically place high-powered drying equipment to maximize results. Some of the drying equipment we use for water loss events include:

• Industrial strength axial fans
• Air movers
• Dehumidifiers

These tools listed are excellent for maintaining airflow for optimal drying of your walls, flooring, furnishings, and other areas.

If the water has infiltrated behind walls and baseboards, we employ the use of structural drying equipment. This equipment helps us to force air in and out of wall cavities, as well as other areas that are hard to reach. This equipment has the high-pressure capability to overcome air delivery system restrictions for spaces that are tight, and moisture often gets trapped. We also have several attachments available that allow us to manipulate, filter, and redirect the air.

Will There Be a Damp, Musty Smell After Restoration is Complete?

Our team does everything possible to eliminate the potential for odor development after flood extraction is complete. In any case that calls for deodorization, we may use different tools to help, including:

• Air filtration devices (AFD)
• Air scrubbers
• Thermal fogging, and more

These tools are necessary to not only eliminate odors but to also improve the air quality throughout your home. AFDs work to control air contaminants and are most effective with a layering of the filters. Primary filter layers grab large debris and particles. The secondary layer, like our Odor-Cleanz filter, has a high capture rate. For the final layer, there is a HEPA filter that has the power to remove roughly 99.97% of the contaminants and particles from the air.

Why Do I Need Professional Flood Restoration Services?

A flood situation can leave behind immense devastation that traditional DIY methods cannot touch. Hiring trained and IICRC-certified technicians get you the prompt service and tried-and-true methods necessary to not only restore your interior but also to ensure your structure is sound. SERVPRO works to remove water quickly to minimize loss, but we also ensure that your building foundation is not left to degrade and use measures to inhibit mold growth.

When working on any category three water loss, which includes muddy floodwaters, our technicians go the extra mile to ensure no harmful contaminants of bacteria overtake your home. Porous materials are appropriately disposed of, and all surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Everything is sanitized before getting the seal of approval from our crew chief for you to resume life as usual.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills at (818) 998-1500 when you need us for professional flood extraction. We are available 24/7 for fire and water cleanup and restoration when you need it.

Do You Know How to Remediate Fire Damage in West Hills?

4/13/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO knows how to restore fire damaged homes. Call us today!

Count on SERVPRO Restoration Services After Fire Damage in Your West Hills Home 

Whenever you suffer a fire loss in your home, the impact becomes much worse if effects begin to spread throughout the structure. It may be possible to contain a building fire to one area of the home, but open pathways and traffic throughout after the loss tend to bring smoke, soot, and other odors into other rooms. To prevent such cross-contamination, our team at SERVPRO executes the most cost-efficient and practical plan to tackle damage recovery. 

After our skilled technicians arrive at the scene, we work to reduce the amount of cross-contamination in your home after fire damage in West Hills. The crew chief initiates a walkthrough to scope the damage, and then the plan for restoration is formulated. Our SERVPRO team wears shoe coverings to keep smoke and soot residue from being tracked throughout unsoiled areas. We make all efforts to ensure our recovery work is as efficient as possible.

 Creating Barriers  

It is vital to cut down on the infiltration of soot and smoke by putting up containment barriers in strategic areas throughout your home. Plastic sheeting creates temporary walls to keep odors, contaminants, and aerosolized soot particles from getting into unexposed regions of the house. Proper containment zones help prevent these elements from spreading. Still, they also act as areas for our skilled technicians to store dirty equipment or remove soiled clothing until the restoration project is complete.

Build Backs 

Should your home’s structure be compromised, we focus on preparing different zones for controlled deconstruction and renovation. Within this phase, our SERVPRO team avoids soiling unaffected areas by cleaning wherever possible before our trusted construction partners arrive to work on the remodeling and repairs after the fire loss. 

We understand how crucial it is to inhibit further damage from soot and smoke after your home suffers fire damage. Our trained teams know how to plan out work areas so that your project goes off without a hitch. Call us today at SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to have a team deployed to your home to make it “Like it never even happened.” 

More about West Hills.

What Can I Do About Water Damage to My Canoga Park Living Room Carpet?

4/5/2020 (Permalink)

Drying carpet is tricky. We have the equipment and training to handle all of your water damage restoration needs.

SERVPRO Technicians Can Eliminate Water and Salvage Soaked Carpet in Your Canoga Park Residence 

Water damage can be sudden and stressful for homeowners. All it takes is a pinhole leak in a pipe under your living room floor to saturate the carpet above. It is crucial to have a professional take care of extraction to prevent mold growth or subflooring damage.  

When your Canoga Park residence needs water damage cleanup, SERVPRO techs are available 24/7 to mitigate damage and restore your home to its preloss condition. These restoration pros are trained in the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards so that you can expect a high standard of clean every time.

Dealing With Water-Damaged Carpet & Pad 

• The padding under carpet absorbs water like a sponge but is usually restorable if only part of the carpeting has been wet for less than 48 hours.
• Limiting foot traffic over the affected area is crucial. Too much walking on wet carpeting can cause it to delaminate or separate from its backing. Latex carpet backing typically returns to its original strength once dry.
• Washing machines often clean small throw rugs using hot water and a biocide like chlorine bleach. However, this amount of bleach can affect the color of the rug. For standard capacity washers, use one cup of bleach per load. 

SERVPRO's Extraction Tools Restore Your Living Room

SERVPRO techs use a variety of tools to remove water from your carpet. The extraction process requires time and care and is hundreds of times more efficient for water removal than structural drying equipment. We use portable extractors, large rubber suction pads, rovers, and polyethylene drying chambers to ensure the restoration of your carpet and pads. SERVPRO can also evaluate your subflooring for water damage and dry it. 

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills wants to ensure that your home looks, "Like it never even happened." You can call (818) 998-1500 for a mitigation service that starts within hours of your initial contact.  

More about Canoga Park.

Canoga Park Neighbors Disinfect to Help Prevent the Spread of the Virus

4/5/2020 (Permalink)

Cleaning and sanitizing are both keys to helping stop the spread of viruses.

SERVPRO Stands With the Canoga Park Community

The spread of the virus in Canoga Park and throughout California has everyone concerned. The state of California led the nation by establishing proactive preventative actions.

    •    Social distancing
    •    Business closure
    •    Event closures
    •    Shelter-at-home restrictions
    •    Work at home

SERVPRO of Canoga Park can be an integral part of your action plan to protect your home and your family from infection. We are specialists in the cleanup of environmental contamination. We correctly apply EPA approved industrial-strength cleaners to fight bacteria and viruses in Canoga Park homes and commercial settings. If you would like help in protecting your family or business associates, you need a company that understands the CDC guidelines for first-line preventative cleaning.

Wiping doorknobs, handrails, and other often-touched surfaces are recommended. However, there are also other, more advanced measures available. The SERVPRO team has the latest technical equipment and EPA commercial grade cleaning agents resources available to deliver an effective and powerful result.

For serious help, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills. We’re here to help at (818) 998-1500.

Advice from the medical and scientific community regarding how to deal with the coronavirus is based on present knowledge, which is subject to change as the situation continues to develop. There can be no assurance that disinfectants alone will be adequate to fully eliminate the virus. We are not physicians or infectious disease professionals. Consult your medical professionals for individual medical advice.

For more about Canoga Park click here.

Call Us If Your Canoga Park Property Experiences A Water Damage Disaster

3/21/2020 (Permalink)

Call us at (818) 998-1500 and let us leave your workspace “Like it never even happened.”

We Share an Office in Canoga Park, but do we Also Share Water Damage?

In today's sharing economy, it's not uncommon to find an office hosting different businesses or entrepreneurs under one same roof. A tutor in Canoga Park may co-exist with a writer, a cartoon artist, and a web developer in a shared office space, which allows each of them to benefit from lower overhead while working in a creative environment. However, the sharing economy also includes sharing misfortune. When a pipe breaks and covers your teaching material, hand-drawn material, or manuscript, everyone involved needs to make a swift decision and bring in a team of experts to help.

Water damage in a commercial establishment in Canoga Park is well within our expertise at SERVPRO. The knowledge our technicians acquire on the field and in the classroom translates into a comprehensive plan for drying, disinfecting, and restoring your shared office. All you need to do is call our 24/7 line as soon as you become aware of the emergency, and allow our Green Fleet to work for you.

At SERVPRO, we understand how losing time and work product can be catastrophic to your finances and professional development. To minimize the impact of the water damage on your working hours, we can use a combination of water extraction tools to your benefit. If the volume of standing water is considerable, we may bring a pump that allows us to connect directly to public sewers to dispose of the water. Our team can directly handle any authorities or guidelines regarding the proper disposal of wastewaters. It is our job to handle these details, so you do not have to.

As you see, extractors and air movers within your office space, you may also see our SERVPRO team examining the status of any documents, drawings, or books affected by the water. Our goal is to restore as much as possible by applying specialized techniques focusing on recovering documents. Whenever possible, we dry items such as desks and bookcases in place, in an attempt to minimize further damage while moving pieces out of the office.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is your ally when water compromises your workplace. Whether you have partners during this unfortunate incident, or you are the sole user of your office space, we are an extension of your team. Like you, we want to disrupt life as little as possible. Call us at (818) 998-1500 and let us leave your workspace “Like it never even happened.”

For more about Canoga Park click here.

We Act Fast In Canoga Park After A Water Loss

3/13/2020 (Permalink)

Our dehumidifier and air movers worked hard to remove water vapor from this room after a pipe busted. Call us right away to prevent further damage.

Water Damage Canoga Park – Long Term Leaks & Mold

Leaks around windows, and also from pipes with pinhole leaks inside walls can lead to the growth of mold and cause long term water damage with potential health risks. In many cases, the first time a homeowner notices that there is a problem is the musty smell in specific rooms in their homes. There may be no signs of water, yet there is that ongoing smell that lingers.

SERVPRO provides water damage services in Canoga Park and surrounding areas. We deal with water damage and mold infestations often. Whenever there is a dark, warm place with moisture and a food source, mold can begin to grow exponentially in less than 48 hours. We are available on a 24 / 7 basis to respond and help deal with water damage and mold growth.

Mold Growing Inside Walls & Crevices

While there are no apparent signs of water leakage, the musty smell is a give away that there is a leak somewhere, and mold spores have begun to multiply. SERVPRO has a variety of methods to detect high moisture areas and the source of the musty smell in these situations. We use moisture meters and infrared cameras to detect areas that are not dry.

Infrared cameras show wet areas that are cooler in temperature due to high moisture levels compared to dry areas. Moisture meters can check surfaces as well as penetrate drywall to detect high moisture areas. Many clients are surprised to learn there is a mold infestation inside a wall after we have shown pictures from our infrared cameras and opened up the wall.

Vinyl wallpaper acts almost like a vapor barrier. The wall behind the wallpaper may be damp, while the exterior of the wallpaper is dry. Mold can grow on the wallboard under the vinyl wallpaper and not be detected by the homeowner.

SERVPRO can help find the source of the mold, the water damage, and dry the underlying structure. Repairs can also be completed to avoid future problems of this type.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 service. We proudly serve Bell Canyon, Winnetka, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

See more about Canoga Park.

Our Team Arrives Quickly In Canoga Park After A Flood

2/26/2020 (Permalink)

We provide the state of the art equipment needed such as this desiccant dehumidifier shown in the photo. Call us right away to prevent further damage.

Flood Damage in Canoga Park Garage and Kitchen

One of the most common causes of flash floods that result in flood damage to properties in the local area happens due to periods of drought. When the ground becomes hardened from lack of rain, it doesn't readily absorb moisture, and the rainwater tends to run off.

A homeowner in Canoga Park with flood damage had almost an inch of water on the floor in their kitchen. The water entered the attached garage and came into the home. When this happened, the first call was to SERVPRO for extraction and drying.

Scoping for Water Migration

SERVPRO technicians inspect the property to determine all areas of water loss. Floodwater wicks into sheetrock quickly and commonly needs controlled demolition to limit the damage to the structure. Fortunately for the homeowner, the seal on the grout on the kitchen floor tiles did not allow any seepage of the water. The baseboards and the lower portion of the sheetrock around the room got removed for drying.

Thorough Extraction Lessens Drying Time

The techs use multiple pumps to remove the remaining water rapidly. It is standard for the techs to do several "dry" passes to ensure they remove the highest amount of moisture before moving on to the drying phase.

Complete Drying Lessens Loss

When water gets left behind within walls or other areas after a flood damage loss in a home, there is the potential for serious issues such as damaged building materials, mold growth, and pungent odors. The technicians set drying goals and monitor the process carefully to ensure the area with water damage hits preset ambient humidity levels. The use of specific equipment to drive air within wall cavities and over the flooring to ensure embedded moisture gets pushed to the surface and removed by the dehumidification equipment.

Cleaning After Drying is Essential

Once the kitchen is dry, SERVPRO techs wipe down all surfaces with their professional antimicrobial and antibacterial cleaners to ensure the loss area is left sanitized for reuse.

When flood damage is the problem, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills (818) 998-1500. Their certified techs have both the experience and equipment to make the water loss to the property, "Like it never even happened."

See more about Canoga Park.

We Get You Back In Business In Canoga Park After A Water Loss

2/14/2020 (Permalink)

We have the latest water damage restoration equipment and certified technicians to put that equipment to proper use. Call us right away.

Water Damage Canoga Park – Trusted by Clients

Whether you are a residential or business owner, clients are looking for someone that can be trusted to get the job done. Our customers look for a fast response to their needs, professional team members, and experts trained in remediating damage caused by water leaks in their buildings. Clients also want their possessions cleaned, restored, and returned in their original condition.

SERVPRO provides water damage services in Canoga Park and surrounding areas. Our owner has been in the business for over 20 years. He brings a wealth of experience and training in every job. Our teams are available 24 hours, seven days a week, and respond to your site in less than 4 hours from your call. Our philosophy is to restore whenever possible rather than replace it. This process saves time, cost, and, most importantly, returns cherished possessions to the owner.

Hard Work Pays Dividends for Our clients

Our ongoing commitment to improving our equipment based on industry standards means we have the most advanced equipment available. We can also apply advanced techniques using this equipment and the training our team continually undertakes to handle every challenge.

SERVPRO also utilizes a program, DryBook, exclusively to manage the progress of all of our restoration projects. We measure your water damage incident against industry standards for recovery and restoration.

Occasionally there are significant incidents that require additional resources than are available locally. One of the significant benefits of the SERVPRO franchise is that we can call on our franchise partners for assistance. Whether it is additional equipment, team members, specific expertise, rest assured our SERVPRO partners can be available to meet the challenge.

We are a locally owned franchise with over 20 years of experience and backed up by over 1500 franchises across the country.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 service. We proudly serve Bell Canyon, Winnetka, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

See more about Canoga Park.

Water Damage in Your Canoga Park Home

2/8/2020 (Permalink)

We can make the incident seem “Like it never even happened.”

Professionals Can Use Specialized Techniques to Handle Water Damage in Your Canoga Park Home

It is difficult to estimate the damage that water can cause in a property. You can remove the water that came from a leaking appliance or burst pipe, but it takes more than that to restore your residence to its pre-incident state. For this to happen, you must remove the water, clean up the affected surfaces, and dry your home thoroughly.

When you notice water damage in your Canoga Park residence, you can seek help from SERVPRO. Our team can take several steps to prevent costly secondary destruction. Remember that even a small water loss incident can bring about mold growth, which can cause an unhealthy environment for the residents. Every restoration project is different, but there are a few basics steps we can take to handle the water damage, such as:

Water removal
Water removal is the primary step that our technicians take to hasten the drying process. Porous surfaces such as carpets can hold a significant amount of water and take longer to dry. Our technicians can use a self-propelled deep extraction tool that is powered by an independent motor that moves the unit at a consistent rate over the carpet. Since the device requires weight to squeeze the water out of the carpeting, our technicians can ride on it to provide additional weight.

Intra wall drying
To leave your property as dry as it was before the unfortunate incident happened, we can dry the affected areas thoroughly using special techniques and equipment. Our SERVPRO team can use moisture-eliminating equipment that dries the inside of walls without having to remove the drywall. We can remove the baseboards and drill small holes through walls close to the base. We can then force air into the cavity behind the wall using structural cavity drying equipment. This equipment directs airflow into wall cavities and other hard to reach areas to ensure that they are adequately dry. This strategy is suitable when the water intrusion resulted from above the room we are treating.

Ventilation and heating
Our team can open windows and doors to enhance air circulation. In some situations, we can place portable heaters inside the affected rooms to increase the rate of evaporation.

Dehumidification
Our team can set up dehumidification equipment in your home to remove the moisture from affected structures and contents. We often use refrigerant dehumidifiers to eliminate water vapor from the air. Minimizing the amount of water vapor in the air reduces the humidity ratio. A lower humidity ratio speeds up the rate of evaporation of moisture in a house and its contents. Professional low grain refrigerant (LGR) dehumidifiers reduce relative humidity to as low as ten percent.

After a water intrusion incident in your West Hills, Winnetka, or Bell Canyon home, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to help. We can make the incident seem “Like it never even happened.”

For more about Canoga Park click here.

Why SERVPRO Is The Leader In Canoga Park Water Damage Restoration

1/28/2020 (Permalink)

Our dehumidifiers and air movers worked hard to remove the last vestiges of water vapor from the already partially demolished floor in this home.

Water Damage Canoga Park – Trusted by Clients

Whether you are a residential or business owner, clients are looking for someone that can be trusted to get the job done. Our customers look for a fast response to their needs, professional team members, and experts trained in remediating damage caused by water leaks in their buildings. Clients also want their possessions cleaned, restored, and returned in their original condition.

SERVPRO provides water damage services in Canoga Park and surrounding areas. Our owner has been in the business for over 20 years. He brings a wealth of experience and training in every job. Our teams are available 24 hours, seven days a week, and respond to your site in less than 4 hours from your call. Our philosophy is to restore whenever possible rather than replace it. This process saves time, cost, and, most importantly, returns cherished possessions to the owner.

Hard Work Pays Dividends for Our clients

Our ongoing commitment to improving our equipment based on industry standards means we have the most advanced equipment available. We can also apply advanced techniques using this equipment and the training our team continually undertakes to handle every challenge.

SERVPRO also utilizes a program, DryBook, exclusively to manage the progress of all of our restoration projects. We measure your water damage incident against industry standards for recovery and restoration.

Occasionally there are significant incidents that require additional resources than are available locally. One of the significant benefits of the SERVPRO franchise is that we can call on our franchise partners for assistance. Whether it is additional equipment, team members, specific expertise, rest assured our SERVPRO partners can be available to meet the challenge.

We are a locally owned franchise with over 20 years of experience and backed up by over 1500 franchises across the country.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 service. We proudly serve Bell Canyon, Winnetka, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

See more about Canoga Park.

Wet Cleaning vs. Dry Cleaning after Fire Damage in West Hills

1/20/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO for any Fire Damage remediation your home needs. We are available day and night.

Cleaning Methods For Your West Hills Home After a Fire Incident

After a house fire, one of the significant issues is often the cleanup. If not handled correctly, you can end up with a bigger mess and longer-lasting odors by using the incorrect methods to clean your home. Not only do your possessions (contents) such as your clothing require cleaning before you can wear them again, but you also need to clean the structure itself during the restoration process.

If your home experienced fire damage in West Hills, you might be overwhelmed with the process of getting your house back to its preloss condition. After everyone is safely out of the house, and it is secure by boarding or tarping any exposed areas, restoration specialists get to work cleaning the structure of your home. They may also remove some of your personal belongings for off-site care.

The structure is any part of the house that is permanent. This includes walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and windows are all part of the structure. Structural components include things that are not easily removed, such as bath and light fixtures, the heating and cooling system (HVAC), and cabinets. Cleaning the structure and its components pose unique challenges. The goal is to return the home to the preloss condition, which means removing the lasting effects of the fire damage, including removing smoke residues and stubborn odors.

The SERVPRO restoration team creates a plan, including methods of structural cleaning. After creating the plan, small areas of each building material or item get tested to ensure the correct method of cleaning. By testing, the team determines which materials are washable and which are non-washable. If a porous item is non-washable, using a water-based cleaning product may result in damaging or staining the item further, so they use a dry method such as dry sponge cleaning.

Technicians also examine the types of residues left by the fire to determine if a wet or dry clean is more appropriate. If there is an oil or grease residue from a kitchen fire, dry solvent cleaning is often the best choice even though water-based products may not damage the material. It is an essential part of the plan to determine the appropriate way to clean each material within the home.

For 24/7 assistance after a house fire, contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

Want to see more about West Hills?

Flood Damage Loss In Your Canoga Park Home

1/19/2020 (Permalink)

We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Proper Documentation of Flood Damage Loss in Canoga Park

Flooding leaves many types of damages when it affects a property. In the haste to restore things to normal, it is possible to miss or overlook some issues. Properly documenting a loss in your Canoga Park home is the only way to ensure that there are no oversights. As a professional restorer, SERVPRO takes a comprehensive approach when documenting the loss.

Documenting Loss to Help with Insurance Claims
Having an active insurance cover is the greatest reassurance to homeowners struck by flood damage loss in Canoga Park. However, insurers require proof of loss to cover the costs of restoring the damages. Our SERVPRO technicians document the loss in different ways, including taking photos inside and outside the structure before starting the restoration. We also use electronic CCIS, Content Claim Inventory Service, to record items after separating them into lists of salvageable, unsalvageable, and questionable items.

Documentation to Help Restoration to preloss State
A satisfactory mitigation process after flood damage restores the property to its preloss state. Although several steps are necessary to achieve such an outcome, proper documentation of the loss site is crucial. Our SERVPRO technicians keep records of everything, including the placement of items in a room and the colors or finishes or different surfaces. We also retain a small piece of carpet or pad removed from the damaged area so that we can get a similar type for replacement.

Documenting Helps Preserve Sentimental Value
Some of the items affected by the flooding might have value beyond the monetary cost of replacement. Our SERVPRO technicians can help save such items through specialized cleaning and drying procedures. When our team arrives at your property, the crew chief takes time to discuss the loss situation with you and takes note of any family heirlooms so that the team can take the right steps to save them.

Flooding incidents in West Hills, Winnetka, and Bell Canyon can be easier to manage when adequately documented. Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to help. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

For more about Canoga Park click here.

Limiting the Damages Left in a Property after Flood Damage Incidents in West Hills.

12/28/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO your West Hills flood damage can be even more than what the eyes can see. Let us help you limit the issues.

West Hills flood damage can leave behind so many problems in your home.

Flooding incidents can cause widespread damages to property. In extreme circumstances, there is no option but to tear down the entire property or move to a different area. Luckily, most flooding incidents are manageable. Some steps can help limit damages, especially when you take them early, or involve a professional like SERVPRO to help.

Contact with water is the major contributor to flood damage loss in West Hills. Taking actions that limit such contact for contents and building materials, helps reduce damages. Each case of flooding differs, so actions taken are unique for each situation. Our SERVPRO crews are trained to perform different processes, including content move-outs and protection or fast extraction of floodwaters.

The approach used to perform a task aimed at saving your property from flood damage matters. The main factors to consider are speed and efficiency. For instance, our SERVPRO crews expedite the process using a variety of extraction tools, including:

• Truck-mounted Water Extractors
• Submersible Pumps
• High-Pressure Pumps
• Self-Priming Trash Pumps

We also incorporate some aspects of demolition where necessary to release the water trapped in cavities within the house. Such demolition can involve cutting flood cuts opening up entire wall sections, or making vents or weep holes on specific areas, speeding up the water removal process.

In case the restoration starts after the water recedes from the house, kick-starting moisture control procedures immediately is essential to prevent secondary problems such as mold development and bad odor. Mold starts developing within 24 to 48 hours or any organic surface. Our SERVPRO crews expedite drying by boosting air movement with air movers. Dehumidifiers also help extract moisture from the air.

Another issue that plagues properties after flooding is contamination, which can pose health issues long after the incident. We clean surfaces with disinfectants and antimicrobial agents. We also perform controlled teardown to remove porous materials such as drywall, insulation, carpets, and pad, eliminating any chances of contaminants remaining in the property.

Saving property affected by flooding is a tricky process. Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to help address any problems from the incident, "Like it never even happened."

To learn more about West Hills, click here

Commercial Water Damage In Your Canoga Park Office

12/28/2019 (Permalink)

“Like it never even happened.”

Commercial Water Damage from Standing Water in Canoga Park Office

When a pipe breaks in a building overnight, the potential for the water to pour into an office and leave behind a large amount of water damage can be significant. It is vital for cleanup of the water to occur it spreads and affects a larger area.

SERVPRO has an organized approach to the cleanup of commercial water damage in Canoga Park properties. Upon arrival, the technicians check to ensure the water is shut off and begin extraction efforts.

Advanced Moisture Detection
The technicians have the equipment to locate water under floors and behind walls. This scoping action is an integral part of water loss restoration as finding all areas of water migration assists with avoiding additional issues such as mold and musty odors.

Special Attention to Restoration vs. Replacement
Whenever possible, SERVPRO technicians try to restore items damaged by water through their various cleaning methods. Bacteria set up rapidly in standing water, and fast extraction is crucial to halt the degradation of the water quality from clean to gray to black rapidly.

Extraction Equipment
The portable pumps have the suction to pull even deeply embedded water out of the structure and carpet. The techs do several passes over the loss area to ensure they remove as much moisture as possible before drying. There is no delay in the cleaning up deep water, as the techs have access to submersible pumps.

Controlled Demolition as Needed
Sheetrock that has wicked moisture and shows signs of warping or buckling has no potential for restoration. Techs measure above the waterline by several inches and cut the damaged area away. This action halts the absorption of water and readies the wall for easy repairs. Industrial carpet and glued down tiles commonly delaminate after exposure to standing water. The techs inspect both types of flooring for the possibility of reuse through their cleaning and restoration methods.

Limit Disruptions During Mitigation
Whenever possible, SERVPRO dries the contents in place to limit disruptions to the office. This process works in favor of companies as there is very little to do after SERVPRO completes the restoration other than reopening and getting back to business.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 can be on-site quickly to cleanup commercial water damage and restore the property to its preloss condition, “Like it never even happened.”

For more about Canoga Park click here.

How Fire Damage Poses Safety Risks for West Hills Homes

12/9/2019 (Permalink)

Areas of your home untouched by flames can have structural damage. Safety is important! Contact professionals for fire damage restoration.

Staging and Hazard Assessment for West Hills Homes  

Creating the most efficient approach for mitigation and emergency services in your fire-damaged West Hills home is critical. One of the effective means of maximizing our output is through staging areas that can support the storage of our equipment and products throughout the phases of mitigation that begin as soon as our team arrives. This unaffected area of your home can be a more accessible location for the tools, devices, and products the SERVPRO restorers on-site need to make fire losses “Like it never even happened.”  

Staging areas are a common element to most of the fire loss recoveries. Still, before the restoration of fire damage in West Hills houses can begin, we must also inspect potential hazards. The safety of our technicians and the occupants of the house is a paramount priority of our team, and that is why risk assessment and management become integrated with the initial scoping of the job completed by our crew chief and production manager before work begins. During this evaluation of the property, we look for common threats that exist after many structure fires.  

• Structural weaknesses that could collapse or fall apart
• Slip or trip hazards that exist before fire debris removal has taken place. 
• Exposed electrical elements or water intruding into charged items and outlets that pose shock threats. 
• Dark areas that could have unforeseen risks 

We must also consider if anyone still on site is at risk for exposure to damaging conditions. Air quality threats are a common threat in this regard, as the presence and circulation of soot and smoke particles can cause health effects with direct exposure. Our SERVPRO team arrives with sufficient personal protective equipment to begin mitigation safely and encourage occupants of the house to vacate until our professionals can manage these risks adequately.  

As threatening as fire loss incidents can be for your home, they can be a dangerous situation if we do not take appropriate precautions to assess potential risk. You can count on fire recovery to be thorough with our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills team. Contact us whenever you need us at (818) 998-1500.  

More about West Hills.

SERVPRO Explains the Dangers in a Canoga Park Home after a Water Loss

11/19/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Says Slipping Hazards and Electrical Dangers Are Real Threats When Removing Water from Canoga Park Area Properties

Identifying Hazards After Canoga Park Water Damage

As important as it is for our SERVPRO professionals to quickly gain control of a water loss incident in Canoga Park homes, safety is a priority. Not only does a cautious step or two prevent injury and damaging conditions for our technicians, but it can also reduce the risks to our customers as well. Many hazards can exist in a home during flooding or substantial water loss scenarios, and we have trained our team members to identify these risks and address them directly.
 
Knowing what could be a threat to the health and wellbeing of our technicians and customers is a vital element to successful contending with water damage in Canoga Park homes. That mindset of doing things the safest possible way is a point of pride that sets us apart from competitors in the area. We have earned accolades as a top San Fernando Valley franchise because of our focus on more than just the immediate effects of a water loss incident. Identifying the hazards present in a home begins with a thorough inspection of the property.
 
Depending on the severity of the water loss incident, many structural concerns could exist that could unexpectedly threaten the safety of our restoration technicians. Overhead threats like ceiling tiles and materials weighted down by water saturation could collapse. Similarly, wood flooring and subflooring material can deteriorate and weaken to even the weight of foot traffic, leading to falling hazards.
 
Lighting is always a concern for our employees, as it is difficult to gauge our restoration of a home if we cannot see the work getting done. We can supply work lights and power to a damaged property when necessary, notably when flooding conditions from broken pipes exist in the house. These instances can also provide a secondary threat for our team in shock hazards, so we may have no choice but to temporarily disconnect power to the house to extract, dry, and clean up the damages.

 We approach disasters with a safety-conscious attitude, and that can help to keep our technicians and customers protected as we efficiently address the effects of the loss. However, we can help by giving our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills team a call at (818) 998-1500.

We Can Help Clean After A Pipe Leak In Your Canoga Park Home

11/17/2019 (Permalink)

Swift disaster cleanup is just a phone call away at (818) 998-1500.

Cleaning Pipe Leak Water Damage in a Canoga Park Residence

California homeowners may not see much flooding from storms nowadays. Still, something as simple as a cracked or damaged pipe can cause plenty of damage to and behind structures. Carpets, walls, and floors can become host to mold, odors, and other contaminants that can affect the durability and safety of your home.

If your Canoga Park home suffers water damage after a disaster, SERVPRO technicians can be at your home within 24 hours to save the day. SERVPRO team members and franchise owners receive extensive education on cleanup equipment, techniques, and theory, so their knowledge can save your home and preserve your belongings. No matter when the disaster occurs, you can expect swift and proactive service.

Get the Most Out of Your Claim
Slow-moving water damages, like pipe leaks, can often have claims reduced or denied without taking thorough stock of the situation. To get optimal coverage when filing your claim:

    •    Keep records of maintenance and repairs. Not only is this a good practice for your home, but it can help you identify when potential issues occurred or what failures could contribute to them.
    •    Read your policy. Make sure the terms cover your situation. Understand what responsibilities are considered yours and which ones are taken on by the insurer.
    •    Maintain your home every spring and fall. Use the ideal weather for maintenance. Small repairs regularly can help you avoid the cost of a more massive disaster.
    •    Consider upgrading. When looking over your policy, you may find that it does not adequately cover the things you need. Add terms as needed to your plan to make sure you are covered in a way that is tailor-made for your home.

SERVPRO is Here to Help
When technicians come to you, the focus is kept on restoring your home to a preloss condition. However, depending on the damage, some items may need replacement. With enough exposure to water, carpet and pad can experience delamination, making safe reinstallation unfeasible. On top of that, extensive exposure to water can weaken the durability of carpeting by as much as 50%, leaving you with a less fragile flooring solution. Technicians can use rovers, wet/dry vacuums, and extraction wands, among a plethora of other equipment, to prepare your carpet for thorough drying.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is a crew you can count on to be Faster to Any Size Disaster. Swift disaster cleanup is just a phone call away at (818) 998-1500.

For more about Canoga Park click here.

Smoke and Odors Create Poor Air Quality in the Canoga Park Area Post Wildfires--Call SERVPRO for Cleanup

10/26/2019 (Permalink)

When Wild Fires Strike Closeby to Your Canoga Park Property--SERVPRO Is Also Closeby, and Ready to Help

Canoga Park Homes Affected by Wildfires Need Stout Odor Control

Most Southern Californians agree that one of the worst parts about wildfire damage is the residual odors left behind. The pungent smoke odors have the potential to embed deeply and often prove difficult to remove. The Tick Wildfire does not have to directly impact your property. The air polluted by these types of wildfires can cause extensive damage.

The root of the need for odor control from wildfires in Canoga Park residences ranges from light to heavy depending on the amount of fire loss within the property or the zone within the heat and smoke and how rapidly cleanup efforts commenced.

Why SERVPRO?
The odor from wildfires generally requires stronger applications than methods that simply cover the smell. Smoke odors emanate from soot particles and residues that need cleaning. SERVPRO technicians use both professional cleaning methods, solvents, and cleaners as well as equipment to remove all types of smoke residues and lessen odors.

Dry and Wet Smoke
A single area of a home may contain both types of smoke residue, and each type requires the correct cleaning processes, or the result may be more damage. Dry cleaning sponges are very efficient for picking up dry smoke, while greasy smeary wet smoke residues often require a solvent to loosen their grip to surfaces for total cleaning.

Removal of Fire Loss Debris
The charred building materials and contents in the home require elimination and in some cases, are cut away through controlled demolition techniques. This action diminishes pungent scents, and the set up of ventilation and air scrubbers also assists in odor removal. There is the added problem of air quality--both within the structure and the surrounding area.

Odor Control Methods for Stubborn Odors
There are a few ways to remove deeply embedded odors in the structure. A standard method SERVPRO technicians use is thermal fogging. This application heats a solvent to the point it is fog, and it behaves like smoke and deeply penetrates anywhere soot may be and neutralizes it.

Hydroxyl generators are a safe way to remove odor-causing airborne particles from the premises. This piece of equipment emits UV rays that create radical ionized molecules that are not harmful to humans or pets and eradicates odors by pairing with them.

When you have stubborn odors from wildfires, contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500. The technicians have a diverse array of equipment, tools, and applications to make the odor issue in the home disappear, "Like it never even happened."

We Get You Back To Business In Canoga Park

10/15/2019 (Permalink)

Our SERVPRO dehumidifier and air movers remove water vapor from the flooring. Call us right away so we can get started to prevent further damage.

Hazardous Situations Solved by Commercial Water Removal, Allowing Restart of Plant Operations in Canoga Park

Whenever a pipe breaks, vats overflow, or the roof leaks during a storm, your Canoga Park plant's safety levels can plummet. Not only are accidents of the slip and fall variety more likely, but chemical contamination and electrical hazards also increase. Federal regulations require different protocols for different situations, including the evacuation of your facilities. Getting the water out of the equation decreases the problem's severity and allows you to concentrate on any additional issues.

After an accident, plant managers in Canoga Park need rapid water removal, and SERVPRO carries all the necessary equipment to get things done swiftly. Our equipment allows us to extract vast volumes of water at a steady rate. A large water supply pipe, with its high pressure, can flood a factory very quickly. Shutting off the main valve into the plant might cause a hardship in the lavatories and kitchen facilities, but until the line's repairs seal off the break, such shut-offs remain necessary.

When water damage comes from a break in a level not on the ground, getting it extracted before it can drain through the building's structure can protect many interior components. Moisture can spread very quickly from one area to another place. We need to protect the machines in your factory like we protect the structure. The moving parts inside machinery can corrode if humidity levels remain elevated significantly above normal. Malfunctioning equipment can injure workers in the vicinity and fail to function.

Just like our pump trucks have different attachments to remove water in its liquid form, they also have attachment points for us to hook up other extraction equipment. Our crew members use portable units that function like the well-known wet-vac but with a much larger tank. Getting the floors dry makes them safer by providing visibility and traction.

Our pump trucks also help us with removing water vapor in the building's air and many other components. Metal fabricated warehouses with or without interior structural materials can rust after prolonged exposure to moisture. When walls retain water from a top-down water line break, we can aerate the interior environment and get it dry from the inside to the outer surface, increasing the effectiveness of any air movers and desiccant machines present.

When necessary, our building services department crew helps with other aspects of our customers' property. HVAC and electrical systems, in addition to plumbing, are handled by our highly experienced professionals.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills' employees realize that strict Federal and California regulations regarding worker safety and facility management exist and that failure to adhere to such standards can create gaps leading to injury or worse. Plant closure means lost revenue and missed shipments. Call us at (818) 998-1500, 24/7 for emergency response.

See more about Canoga Park.

Water Damage Restoration in Canoga Park: Why Credentials Matter

10/3/2019 (Permalink)

Our technicians are trained and certified to use each piece of equipment to restore your home.

Certifications for Our Water Recovery Specialists in Canoga Park 

Water loss incidents can tap into the adventurous, or perhaps frugal, nature of many Canoga Park residents. To save money or time, individual property owners look to address the effects of these losses on their own. Still, many find themselves overwhelmed with the needs of the property and the limitations of their equipment and expertise. Our professionals have accreditations through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) in many facets related to restoring water loss emergencies. 

We work hard for the certifications that our team has acquired, and that gives us the knowledge to address all of your needs from deodorization to water removal in Canoga Park. Because of our certification, we have a credible voice in the restoration communities and can provide our customers with a fast and confident response that begins mitigation work as soon as our professionals arrive. Water removal is an essential element to overcome substantial water loss incidents. 

We have multiple pieces of equipment that can help with quickly extracting standing water from floors to get the drying process started. In homes, harder flooring can get found in many places like the kitchen, bathroom, and other communal areas. Removing the standing water in these areas, without contending with saturation concerns that can develop over prolonged periods, involves the deployment of numerous tools and pieces of equipment ranging from our truck-mount extractor to our light wands attached to portable wet-vacs. 

Our preparedness for substantial water loss ensures that we always have trained professionals ready to respond to the needs of your home. In the water restoration niche alone, our SERVPRO team has accreditations that include: 

• WRT – Water Restoration Technician
• ASD – Applied Structural Drying
• AMRT – Applied Microbial Remediation Technician
• OCT – Odor Control Technician
• CCT – Carpet Cleaning Technician 

We continue our education in these fields to produce technicians that are among the most knowledgeable and experienced in the industry. Our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills team can help you through even significant loss situations with our broad inventory of recovery tools and rapid response in a crisis. Give us a call today at (818) 998-1500. 

More about Canoga Park.

West Hills Home Under a Smoke Attact after a Fire? Rely on SERVPRO for Restoration, "Like it never even happened."

9/26/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Says Be Careful with Kitchen Cooking to Prevent Fire and Smoke Damage to Your West Hills Home. Turn off that burner!

Fire and Smoke Damage West Hills – It Can Happen So Easily

Here is a nightmare scenario. Supper is over, and it is time to clean up the dishes. A gas burner remained on a low setting. The kitchen is hot from cooking, and no one notices the hot burner. Everyone is in a hurry. The parents go out for a drink. One daughter is babysitting. The other daughter is home studying in her bedroom when the fire alarm goes off. A plastic cutting board remained on the hot burner.

SERVPRO responds to fire damage events in West Hills and surrounding areas for both small fires as well as those that cause catastrophic damage. We can help restore your home after the fire is out, and the fire department has left. The couple who left the burner on is fortunate. A quick-thinking neighbor threw the cutting board into the sink before there was much damage.

Fire Department Responds
When the fire department arrived with four trucks, the fire was out, and the house was full of smoke. After assessing the situation, the firemen suggested placing a large box fan in the kitchen window to exhaust some of the noxious fumes. This couple was fortunate that there was so little damage. However, what about the smoke damage from the burned plastic cutting board?

Potentially Toxic Gases
It is difficult to know what gases are emitted while the cutting board was smoldering. Some of the gases can be quite toxic. These include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and hydrogen chloride.

Ventilation and Odor Removal
SERVPRO recommends for this situation that the home should be well ventilated and that all surfaces cleaned of any residue.
In more challenging situations, technicians may need to wear air-filtered masks for severely damaged conditions. Consider a professional cleaning to eliminate the soot and pungent odors from your home. These smells can remain for months until corrected mitigated. Air scrubbers and hydroxyl generators and even thermal fogging may be required.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 service. We proudly serve Winnetka, Bell Canyon, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

We Follow The Proper Steps To Ensure West Hills Flood Damage Is Restored Efficiently

9/18/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can provide the equipment needed such as the desiccant dehumidifier shown to restore your home after flood damage.

Flood Damage West Hills – Water Pipe Fitting Gives Way

Flood damage often comes from storms; however, broken water pipes can also flood homes or business offices as well. As pipe joints age and foundations shift, leaks can develop inside walls and go undetected until water is flooding an entire floor. Carpeting, underpad, walls, and even the subfloor can absorb moisture requiring removal and restoration.

SERVPRO can respond to flood damage in West Hills and surrounding areas immediately. Our first step is to mitigate the leak. The main water supply is shut off, and we confirm that it is safe from electrical hazards to enter the premises. Our crew chief can assess the damage and arrange for water removal equipment to be delivered. Furniture and contents are removed, dried and placed in a staging area while work on your home or office is completed.

Replacement of Carpet and Under pad

In some situations, the carpet and underpad must be replaced. The carpet is replaced if it separates from the backing. The underpad is usually replaced as well to ensure that the subfloor is entirely dry before new carpeting and under padding is installed.

Otherwise, SERVPRO can use a weighted water extractor to remove as much moisture as possible. One of our technicians rides on the extractor to enhance the efficiency of the extractor. Air movers and dehumidifiers are brought in to dry the carpet and the underpad completely. The air movers blow dry air in the direction of the dehumidifier over the damp carpet.

Flood Cuts

The wall may be removed up to a foot or two above the floor to remove damp or wet drywall after flood damage. Wet insulation and wall structures are exposed where water was pouring out of the broken pipe. SERVPRO checks and fully dries all areas that may have been exposed to avoid future problems with mold and odors.

Once the walls are dry, restoration contractors can begin. They can install new insulation, drywall, underpad and carpeting to bring your home back to its original condition, "Like it never even happened."

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 service. We serve the towns of Winnetka, Bell Canyon, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

See more about West Hills.

SERVPRO Says Staging of Equipment and Products Saves Time, Money, and Prevents a Mess during Canoga Park Water Removal

9/12/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Goes from Inspection of a Water Damaged Property in Canoga Park to Planning and Implementation for Restoration

Water Damage Canoga Park – Professional Approach to Staging

Every water damage event in the LA area is different and requires a variety of actions to be taken to mitigate the harm, restore the customer's premises, and ultimately satisfy the client. Careful planning, staging, and thoughtfulness is always part of our plan.

Canoga Park and damaging water events are forever paired. Our crew chief can quickly assess the damage and gather the right equipment and technicians to meet the challenge presented promptly. Often a crew chief may request interior space to stage equipment, cleaning supplies and tools that may be needed.

Staging Areas and Access to Water Sources
A staging area can provide an efficient area to work from and limit the number of trips to the outside. These efficiency gains can assist in dealing with a water damage situation quickly and reduce the severity of the damage. In many situations, access to a water source may be required, such as the laundry room or a guest bathroom on the main floor. The crew chief can discuss the requirements of the team with the client and ensure that SERVPRO's needs while on-site are acceptable to the client.

Protecting the Clients Home and Working Efficiently
The staging area and all access routes in the home to the work area are covered by either paper or plastic drop cloths to protect the floors. SERVPRO may need to mix products to clean furniture and floors after water damage events. All items are placed on these protective floor coverings.

Staging Protects Unaffected Rooms within the Home
Our objective is to restore a client's home as quickly and efficiently as possible. We understand the stress these water damage situations cause, including secondary damage from high humidity. Clients can always discuss their concerns with the crew chief or with one of the technicians working on site. If an item of furniture or accessory demands particular attention, let us know. We aim to do our best to accommodate the needs of the customer while restoring their home.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 serve. We serve Winnetka, Bell Canyon, and surrounding areas. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Pop Quiz: Do You Know How To Restore Your Home After Fire Damage?

9/9/2019 (Permalink)

Any type of fire in the kitchen can quickly cause extensive fire damage. Contact SERVPRO right after the firefighters leave.

West Hills Home Needs Help After Tabletop Grill Fire

The kitchen is one of the most common areas homeowners experience fire damage in their residences. The oven, stovetop and indoor grills are frequently the instigators in pungent kitchen fires.

Fire damage in a West Hills home from a protein fire is one of the most challenging types of loss we deal with. One of the main reasons is that this type of fire does not look overly damaging on the surface. It burns without creating much in the way of traditional dark smoke damage but instead turns the protein of the foodstuff that is the catalyst of the blaze into a light, greasy mist that coats all surfaces in the vicinity. When prompt removal of this film does not occur, the odor remains and grows.

SERVPRO answered a call to come to a local home where an indoor electric grill overheated and caused a fire. The homeowner cleaned up the mess from the small fire and water from fire extinguishing, but a pungent odor remained, and he wanted the room professionally mitigated.

Our technicians scoped the room to ensure no excessive areas of moisture remained and got to work identifying areas that still contained residue from the fire. We also advised the homeowner since the HVAC was on since the fire, the ductwork likely needed cleaning as well.

After cleaning all surfaces to ensure we removed the smelly residues left behind, our certified odor control technicians worked on removing the lingering odors from the residence.  Standard applications SERVPRO uses are: 

• Hydroxyl generators
• Air scrubbers
• Thermal fogging units
• Time-release gel pellets
• Complete ductwork and HVAC cleaning

When you have fire damage in your kitchen or any area of your home, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500. Our certified emergency response team is available 24/7, and we arrive within an hour of your call because We're Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Click here to see more about West Hills. 

Our Experts Can Save Your Water Damaged Property In Canoga Park

9/5/2019 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500, today.

Speeding Up The Drying Process As Part Of Our Water Cleanup Service For Canoga Park

The presence of unwanted water in your home can be more than just an inconvenience. Water incidents can occur because of blocked or malfunctioning drains, split or burst pipes, backed up sewer points as well as human errors like leaving a faucet open overnight. In some cases, water may be contained in a pre-sealed area, like a washroom, and can be mopped up yourself. However, in many situations, sealant can be worn away or non-existent, which can result in a flow of water from the initial point of access to floors, furnishings, carpets, and stairs.

Sometimes water situations get out of hand, but you can arrange water cleanup services in Canoga Park by calling us on our emergency call line. SERVPRO operates a large inventory of water extraction device and uses local technicians with a broad knowledge-base in cleaning, drying, and securing your property against future damages. Our technicians come from the local area, which means they have an intimate understanding of the types of architecture, plumbing, and fittings that are common in this region.

Combine that knowledge with industry-leading training and equipment, and you can be sure that SERVPRO is capable of restoring your property to a preloss condition after a water spill. Our trucks come fully-stocked with water extraction and specialty drying units including:

• Centrifugal Air Movers
• Portable / Truck-mounted Extractors
• Box Fans
• Air Filtration Units
• Injectidry Systems
• Drying Mats

Leaks that occur on the upper levels of your home can complicate the drying situation. Water naturally migrates downwards, so a leak in your second-floor bathroom, could result in water dripping from your light fittings in the floor directly underneath. SERVPRO technicians are adept at removing obstacles such as wallpaper, bathroom tiles, carpeting, or linoleum to gain access to the affected area. Resilient materials can often be restored to a good, preloss condition. However, older materials like the wallpaper may be discarded and replaced.

Once your technician has access to the affected area, they can work quickly to establish air circulation by placing centrifugal air movers. Higher temperatures can speed up the drying procedure by allowing the surrounding air to hold more moisture. SERVPRO can use portable heaters, or heating elements found in our equipment, to encourage evaporation. We use our training to ensure the procedure is completed as quickly as possible with as little inconvenience to the homeowner. At the end of service, our team can handle your insurance paperwork for a stress-free claim.

Water incidents do not need to cause significant stress and pressure. Contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500, today.

For more about Canoga Park click here.

A Storm Can Damage Your Canoga Park Home

8/3/2019 (Permalink)

We're here every day of the week, including weekends and holidays and ready to provide you with professional, skilled specialists.

Wind, Rain, And A Blown-Over Tree Can Leave Your Home Soaked In Canoga Park

Storms do not need to last very long to cause substantial, costly damage to a house in Canoga Park. They only need to carry enough force to uproot a tree with weakened roots to generate severe harm to your property. SERVPRO understands that top-down damage can leave your home saturated in hidden areas while leaving puddles all over your floor. Some of the collected water can hold contamination from stained wood, insulation, and other substances located between the roof and the floor.

A roof torn by a toppled tree can leave your Canoga Park home with storm damage, including rainwater, debris from the tree, and other items blown in on the wind. We can help get the situation resolved quickly for you and your family.

A tree landing on your house can also cause damage to plumbing, electrical wiring, and your HVAC system. Our building services team works with us in these areas, helping restore houses and businesses for our community. To help our mitigation specialists work more efficiently, we can also secure the roof, initially with tarps, followed by repairs. SERVPRO can also help remove the offending tree and make the area safe again.

Because rainwater spreading through your residence increases the amount of water vapor in the air, we must reduce the relative humidity by increasing the temperature. This prevents moisture from condensing on surfaces, keeping it in the air. Using air movers, we push this damp air out of your house. Dehumidifiers also help protect your belongings, so we place a few of these in areas with higher amounts of dampness.

When we examine the interior of your walls and ceilings, we often find trapped water in these places. Overhead, we can usually use the hole from a light fixture to inset flexible tubing to extract this water. Shortly after, we can use the same set-up to force warm air into the space.

We use a very similar method for walls, except we often must drill small holes along the bottom, near the floor. We choose locations with a baseboard we can remove, if at all possible, so covering the holes is as simple as replacing the baseboard. If a property owner with such a situation calls us immediately, we can often keep walls and other materials from showing more severe effects of storm damage. Saving materials with a rapid response to a disaster significantly reduces the costs associated with restoration.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is always ready to take calls from those in Winnetka and Bell Canyon. When storms bring flooding and other types of damage to your doorstep, call us at our 24-hour services line, (818) 998-1500. We're here every day of the week, including weekends and holidays and ready to provide you with professional, skilled specialists.

For more about Canoga Park click here.

Our Water Damage Professionals Can Save Your Canoga Park Home!

7/25/2019 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 service.

Water Damage Canoga Park – Recovering Sentimental Items

Anytime water gets into your home from a leaking pipe, an open window or damage from a storm, it is a stressful event for the family. Most people understand that damaged floors, furniture, and electronics can be restored or replaced. Often homeowners are more worried about legal documents needed for various reasons and photographs of the family which cannot be replaced.

Let SERVPRO know if you have water damage in Canoga Park that there are documents and photographs. Reducing the time these items spend in wet conditions can reduce the amount of damage and increase the chance of recovery. Once a photo or document is damaged, a document cannot be restored to its original condition. There is always some form of damage even after the documents have been through the drying process. However, most can be dried and retained for the customer to enjoy.

Homeowners should immediately consider taking the following steps to minimize the damage:

•    Always make sure that it is safe from electricity to enter the area.

•    If it is leaking pipe, turn off the water source.

•    Remove photos and documents to a dry area and separate each item to dry separately.

•    Use blotting paper or towels to soak up as much water as possible.

We can respond quickly to any disaster and focus on the areas of concern of the homeowner. Let the SERVPRO team know which documents are most relevant and the preservation steps you may have taken. We can continue the process and focus on minimizing the damage to your documents. Depending on the situation, our techs apply several solutions, including:

•    Drying by air

•    Dehumidification

•    Drying in a freezer

•    Freeze drying in a vacuum

•    Thermal drying in a vacuum

Reducing the time your documents and photos spend in the water and remain in wet conditions can minimize the amount of long term damage. There may be limited funds available for controlling the damage and recovering documents and photos. SERVPRO can help the homeowner select the correct drying approach for each document based on value to the homeowner and the budget for restoration available.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 service. We serve Winnetka, Bell Canyon, and surrounding areas. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster!

For more about Canoga Park click here.

Flooded or Burnt Out of Your Canoga Park Home? Mold or Water Damage Have You Down? Call SERVPRO for a Picker-Upper!

7/8/2019 (Permalink)

When the Canoga Park DIY'er Has Had Enough -- SERVPRO Is Just Getting Started

Why Canoga Park Residents Rely on SERVPRO for Disaster Mitigation and Remediation

It stands to reason professionals train to give their all to customers, but when they live in communities served, there is an extra impetus to provide top-notch services. Canoga Park residents rely on our crews to treat every water, fire, mold, and storm damage project as though the disaster is in our neighborhood. We live, play, volunteer, and work in this and other nearby areas of Los Angeles. Your crisis hits home with our team.

Water Damage
Whether a pipe broke, a sink overflowed, a sprinkler system worked overtime, an appliance pump wore out, or another crisis struck, Canoga Park water cleanup is a job for our professionals. Our team of experts completes rigorous training through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Reconstruction Certification (IICRC). That research-based foundation combined with the many years of water mitigation and remediation experience among our managers and technicians assures your home soon may be returned to preloss condition.

A fast response is needed for the most successful outcome, and our SERVPRO team can be at your home fast because we work in and are residents of the same area. Our service vehicles contain a full complement of equipment needed to remove water and perform comprehensive structural drying, brooking no delay. Expect our project manager or crew chief to assess the scenario and devise a plan quickly. Then our technicians get immediately to work upon a signed agreement.

Pumps and extractors remove visible water. We employ thermal imaging and moisture meters to locate hidden pockets of water and set baselines for the drying phase to come. If trapped water presents challenges, we use controlled demolition strategies to release or gain access to it. Air movers, heater, and dehumidifiers take on the lingering moisture in structural components. Cleaning and disinfecting with EPA-registered products round out the tasks completed to return your home to normal status.

Fire Damage
Responding fast to fire, soot, and smoke damage in Canoga Park is one of our core services. We pledge to guide our customers through this very stressful event with compassion as our highly-qualified workers evaluate, plan and implement the fire damage restoration industry’s best practices. We are ready to commence mitigation and remediation as soon as we arrive, soon after the fire department releases your home back to you for mitigation and remediation purposes.  

Why SERVPRO is positioned well to provide help for you during your time of troubles is simple. We commit to being there for our community, preparing for the challenge by investing in our employees and our hardware. Our crews feature IICRC-certified Fire and Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) ready to clean up smoke and soot residues using professionally developed techniques and effective products. The equipment employed by our employees is state-of-the-art and accompanies our crews to the worksite on our signature green service vehicles.

We limit the disruption to you and your family, containing the work areas if possible with air scrubbers and heavy-duty plastic sheeting to permit normal activities in unaffected spaces inside your home. Once the soot and debris clear away, we work with you on odor elimination. Our company has many resources available for odor control, including technological advances like thermal foggers and hydroxyl generators that neutralize odor-bearing particles at the molecular level.

Mold Remediation
Mold damage in your Canoga Park home can be very distressing, making you feel inadequate and fearful of judgment. We are privileged to have the trained technicians and specialized equipment to help you compassionately with this frustrating problem. During our mold remediation, we also take the time to explain to you how and why the growth occurred and what you can do to minimize the probability of mold damage in the future.

Mold spores are always nearby, floating in the air and settled on surfaces inside and outside of our homes. Availability of a bit of water and only 24 to 48 hours can result in full-blown mold colonization. A precise protocol developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mastered by our employees, why SERVPRO is your go-to for mold issues as well as other disasters. We can mobilize a remediation crew fast to help you manage a challenging problem.

We contain the moldy area with plastic barriers and perhaps the use of a negative pressure air scrubbing set up. The mold removes mechanically as our technicians use brushes, scrapers, and gentle abradants like soda blasting. Vacuuming and bagging up the debris precedes the application of an EPA-registered disinfectant. Priming with special antimicrobial-infused coatings also inhibits future mold growth.  

Count on us to help with the planning of a moisture management system that avoids most fungal growth in the future. Prevention is the key to a complete mold remediation agenda.

Storm Damage
Canoga Park can experience storm damage directly and as a result of being downstream on various waterways flowing from the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. The confluence of Bell Creek and Calabasas Creek are the headwaters of the Los Angeles River right in the center of the neighborhood. When extreme weather forms off the coast and sweeps toward our community, homeowners can deal with rain and wind damage as well as overland flooding.

Previous wildfire activity in the elevations around our community increases the possibility that flash flooding in the creeks and washes could bring significant mud, silt, and other contamination into your home. Rising to the challenge of managing floodwaters complicated by mudslides shows why SERVPRO can meet any of your storm disaster needs. We arrive at your home ready for a wide range of scenarios, with the equipment and know-how.

Flood water is, by definition, contaminated, and we are familiar with the requirement that the fluid and debris be contained and disposed of following local regulations. Because the water may contain debris or fecal-borne pathogens, we wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and often set up air scrubbers during the project to filter and exhaust airborne hazards stirred up during the work. Our technicians clean and disinfect surfaces in the flooded area with EPA-registered products, vigilant at all times to inspect for mold or other secondary damage.
 
The team at SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills awaits your call if water, fire, mold, or storms damage your home. Reach us at (818) 998-1500 and see how we take care of members of our community.

Local High School

We Put The Flames Of Worry Out In Winnetka After A Fire Disaster

7/3/2019 (Permalink)

We have the experience, advanced training, and state-of-the-art equipment to restore your home after a fire.

Neglecting to Clean Your Toaster Can Lead to Fire Damage in Your Winnetka Home

Many kitchen appliances can cause fire damage in your home, but toasters are often overlooked. As anyone knows, a toaster dries out the surface of the bread slices inside as it heats up. Any crumbs that fall to the bottom of the device can begin to build up and make a mound of kindling. As the toaster heats up, and the crumbs begin to build up so high that they're close to the heating panels, a fire could start. For this reason, it's essential to regularly clean out devices that could be a fire hazard if left unchecked. 

When it comes to the fire damage in your Winnetka kitchen, you were close enough to extinguish it quickly. However, during the blaze, your toaster was ruined, and the wall behind it became caked with soot. The stain on your wall is unsightly, and the smell from the fire in your kitchen is unpleasant. In order to have these problems corrected, it would be wise to reach out for professional help as soon as possible.

When you call SERVPRO, we always make sure to send our technicians to your home swiftly. While you wait, you can focus on opening up windows in your kitchen to try and disperse some of the unpleasant odor. Furthermore, you could also throw away the ruined toaster.

When SERVPRO arrives, our technicians can get to work right away. We ensure that all of our technicians are certified by the Institution of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration. Additionally, they have gone through many training scenarios to prepare them for any challenges they find on the job.

Our techs can begin by setting up an air scrubber equipped with carbon filters. The device pulls airborne particles into it and filters out anything undesirably before releasing the "clean air" back into the atmosphere, dealing with the unpleasant odor. From there, SERVPRO can use a lubricative cleaning solution designed to lift soot and grime away from the surface it is attached to while also doing minimal fire damage to the paint layer underneath. Once finished, our technicians can return your kitchen to you, "Like it never even happened."

When a small fire happens inside of your home, it is always wise to get help. Speak with SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills by phoning (818) 998-1500. No matter when you call, we're available to help you.

See more about Winnetka.

Flood Damage West Hills – Leaking Roof

7/1/2019 (Permalink)

Let us cover your water loss, from roof damage.

SERVPRO can get you covered.

Southern California is a great place to live with lots of sunshine and great weather. But every so often a storm rolls in with lots of wind and rain. A roof may be damaged by high winds or debris and then it rains! Water pours into your home causing a great deal of damage to your ceiling, walls, floors and all of your contents. In many cases the flood damage is limited to one room for a leaky roof. However, a flash flood can cause catastrophic damage to your home. 

Regardless of the type of damage, SERVPRO can respond to your flood damage in West Hills quickly providing emergency restoration services for your home. Once the situation is stabilized, our team completes a full assessment. We begin mitigation activities immediately to manage and control further damage. 

Our team is certified by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification). Other certifications include ASD (Applied Structural Drying Technician) and RRRP - Lead-Based Paint Activities and Renovation. We often find that after major flood damage we need to restore homes that have used lead-based paints. This occurs often with older structures. 

Depending on the situation, tarps may be needed to cover areas of the roof that have been damaged and are leaking. Broken windows and doors are boarded up to prevent further damage from wind and rain. Once the situation is under control, water removal, de-humidification and drying takes place. 

Working closely with your insurance provider our SERVPRO team begins restoration of your home. Your home may also need our cleaning services in a flood situation. We clean your carpets, floors, fabrics and soft materials. We dry and recover as many of your keepsakes and mementos as possible. We clean all hard surfaces as well. Our objective is to restore your house so that if feels like home again. 

We are strategically located to respond quickly to your flood damaging event. Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for 24/7 service. We also serve Winnetka and Bell Canyon. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster. 

To learn more on West Hills, click here.

Canoga Park, SERVPRO, and Fast Water Loss Cleanup and Recovery

6/12/2019 (Permalink)

Ring SERVPRO for Fast and Professional Water Damage Cleanup at Your Canoga Park Hotel

Commercial Water Damage Crews In Canoga Park Discuss Potential Problems With Hotels

Hotels in Canoga Park are one type of business that has several water lines running fluids in and out of them. The more water that runs through a building, the bigger the chance commercial water damage can occur. Once a pipe supplying one of your hotel rooms with water breaks, the moisture can affect several places. The liquid H2O first follows gravity and heads straight to the floor, and then it starts to spread out horizontally. In multi-level buildings, the seepage may affect other rooms in the verticle tower. As soon as you notice a plumbing failure inside one of your hotel rooms, it is wise to call in a professional commercial water damage restoration company such as SERVPRO.
 
At SERVPRO, our technicians know that when it comes to working on a project in your place of business, that time is money. Our water restoration technicians or WRTs know ways to mitigate commercial water damage in Canoga Park promptly. We start by being able to answer our phones 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Our WRTs live in the area so that our team is ready to respond after we receive your emergency phone call. We can get to your hotel quickly and start assessing the situation.
 
We first figure out which rooms inside your hotel got negatively affected by the water leak. We do this by using moisture sensors to detect the presence of water inside the carpets, drywall, and wooden items inside your hotel rooms. Our instruments can tell us where the damage exists, and they let us know how wet your drywall and wooden materials got as a result of the plumbing failure.
 
Once we determine the severity of the situation, we start the mitigation process by extracting moisture while it is in its liquid form. Once all of the liquid H2O gets removed by our advanced pumps and wet vacs, we begin the applied structural drying or ASD process. During the ASD stage, we set up dehumidifiers and air movers to help speed up the natural drying and evaporation process. All this work is done keeping in mind to minimize disruption to the guests while ensuring the rooms are available for future bookings.
 
If you ever notice a water pipe leaking inside your hotel, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 seven days a week.

More about this Los Angeles neighborhood by clicking right here.

Canoga Park Homes Benefit from SERVPRO's Rapid Floodwater Removal and Drying

6/4/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Extracts Floodwaters and Cleans Up the Mess in Canoga Park

SERVPRO Cleans Up Post-Drought Flood Damage in Canoga Park

After the long period of drought in this part of California, the long-awaited rains, unfortunately, have the potential to bring flood damage. The firm, dry ground is unable to absorb the rainwater adequately, and it can intrude into homes quickly.

SERVPRO received a call to mitigate flood damage to a Canoga Park home. Groundwater is a category three biohazard also known as “blackwater” and requires specialized equipment and cleaners to bring affected areas to sanitary standards for habitation.
Even though our technicians arrived a short time after the initial call, there was very little standing water left in the kitchen area where the intrusion happened. Our technicians wore protective clothing and scoped the room to determine areas where water migrated.

Water extraction efforts began almost immediately. We used portable pumps and made several passes to pull up as much moisture as possible from the surface of the floor. We found areas of excessive moisture behind the baseboards, which were removed to allow adequate air flow for drying. Thermal imaging showed water wicked into the sheetrock of a single wall. We used a technique known as “flood cuts” that is a form of controlled demolition that removes only the damaged sheetrock and leaves the framework for rebuilding upon.

Mold is a significant concern after water damage as the spores can set up home within 48-hours after a water intrusion. During the drying process of our remediation, SERVPRO technicians set drying goals in the humidity range that is below optimal conditions for mold growth, usually around 40%. We lower the humidity quickly using our dehumidifiers in tandem with air movers.

This setup works well because as the air movers cause water vapor to rise, the dehumidifiers capture and port it away from the area resulting in progressively drier air flowing into the room which speeds the overall drying process. Once the area confirms dry, and the room attains preset drying goals, we clean and disinfect all affected surfaces to leave the area both sanitized and hygienic.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is available at (818) 998-1500 24-hours a day to help homeowners overcome flood damage and get their lives back to normal. Whether the water damage is a little or a lot, with our equipment and experience, we can make it “Like it never even happened.”

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You Can Reach Our Experts 24/7 When Your Canoga Park Home Experiences A Water Damage Disaster

5/25/2019 (Permalink)

Our certified technicians handle small or large water loss events, and since we are local, We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

Water Damage In Your Canoga Park home

Water damage can happen in ways you might expect, such as a broken supply line to a washing machine or dishwasher. An unexpected water loss in your home feels overwhelming, and the longer you wait to act on it, the more damage it does to your home.

Our SERVPRO emergency response team received a call to mitigate water damage in a Canoga Park home. The homeowner's teenage daughter had run a bath and forgot she left the water running while she chatted with friends on Snapchat.

The homeowner stated during his initial call to us that he put down towels to absorb the water and drained the tub. Unfortunately, water dripped through the downstairs ceiling and noted this issue in the service call, so our technicians made scoping the subflooring and floor joists between the first and second floor a priority as they most likely retained excessive moisture.

 On arrival, we removed water from the bathroom floor and did several passes with our extractors to pull up as much moisture as possible. The ceiling below was damp, but no signs of sagging, scoping with digital imaging and our other moisture detection equipment confirmed the elevated moisture levels. We drilled weep holes to let more air into the floor joists and dry the interior.

SERVPRO technicians collected the tile around the bathtub as it lost adhesion due to the water. Our technicians possess certifications in Applied Structural Drying and know how to correctly dry both structures and contents for the best outcome from water loss. Air movers connected to drying mats forced warm, dry air into the subfloor and floor joists. Air movers positioned on the first floor projected air directly at the ceiling where the weep holes let more air flow in for complete drying.

We take moisture readings before, during, and after drying a room. To inhibit both odors and the growth of mold after a water loss, ensuring humidity levels in the affected areas are below optimum levels development of spores negates this issue.

When the upstairs and downstairs areas were confirmed dry, we cleaned and disinfected all surfaces affected by water with our proprietary SERVPRO formulas. This action leaves the area both sanitary and also works to inhibit mold. After completion of the remediation for the bathroom and ceiling, we gave the homeowner a list of the necessary repairs to restore the bathroom to its preloss condition.

Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for mitigation of your water damage in your home. Our certified technicians handle small or large water loss events, and since we are local, We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

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What Canoga Park/West Hills Must Know About Costly Water Damage from Leaks

5/16/2019 (Permalink)

Let SERVPRO help you save your pennies.

Don’t let your water bill and water damage take your savings, call SERVPRO today!

 Small leaks underneath the bathroom and kitchen sink can lead to very costly water damage. So, it is essential that homeowners take the necessary precautions by following the recommendations provided below.

 Pay close attention to the signs and symptoms of leaks and water damage in a Canoga Park property. Every homeowner should remember that some of these signs are easy to see, while others may only be found by checking the condition of the pipes. Either way, the owner of the home and their family should pay close attention to the following telltale signs provided by SERVPRO:

 - Dripping water on the floor or inside of kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

- Sharp increases in the household water bill.

- Dampness on ceilings and walls, deriving from the second-floor bathrooms.

- Excessive moisture on kitchen and bathroom pipes.

Take action quickly to minimize the possibilities of extensive costly damages. The actions taken will be determined by the problems that have been discovered. For instance, if someone sees water dripping down the ceilings and walls underneath the bathroom sink from the second floor, quick action must be taken. To start, the owner should contact a SERVPRO professional for help. The role of these professionals is to inspect the area to see what the source of the problem is. Once the problem has been identified, they can make an assessment of what needs to be done. Here are some things that these professionals are trained to do.

 - Use the latest technology detection devices to identify where the water has entered into the destruction.

- Use extraction equipment to remove the water from the structure.

- Use Deodorizing equipment to remove bad odors.

Because there are a variety of different critical problems that arise from leaks found underneath the kitchen and bathroom sinks, homeowners need to pay close attention to common symptoms that lead to severe problems. Also, when problems are discovered, actions must be taken immediately by contacting our representatives at SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills. Our team of technicians is available 24/7, every day of the week at (818) 998-1500. 

To learn more about Canoga Park, CA living click here.

We Understand That Prompt Fire Damage Restoration Is Crucial In West Hills

5/2/2019 (Permalink)

We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so don't hesitate and call us right away to prevent further damage.

A Malfunctioning Hair Dryer Can Cause a Fire in Your West Hills Home

Your morning routine can find itself very interrupted when fire damage makes an unexpected appearance. Getting ready for work every morning tends to involve a shower, drying your hair, and then using skincare and hair products. However, when your hair dryer electrically malfunctions and catches fire, you may find that the plastics of the dryer have melted onto your vanity. Additionally, the blaze can also destroy your cosmetic products as well, turning them into a molten, greasy, and bubbly mess.

As the fire damage inside of your West Hills bathroom begins to cool, it can become even harder for professionals to remediation it without any issues cropping up. For this reason, it is essential to call for professional help as soon as you possibly can, once the fire has been extinguished. The quicker that professionals can arrive, the better it is for your home.

When you contact SERVPRO, we always put together a team of technicians and then swiftly send them to your home. Promptly arriving is essential in our line of work, as fire damage is time sensitive. Once we get there, our SERVPRO techs can immediately launch into an investigation of the damages and then create a remediation plan accordingly.

SERVPRO can start by taking inventory of every product that was consumed by the fire, so you know what you lost. From there, we can remove any plastic bits, which were leftover from the cosmetic products and the hairdryer. Without all of the burned clutter, it is a lot easier to address the rest of the damage.

The smoke from the fire caked soot onto your pristinely white vanity and blackened it. SERVPRO can use lubricative cleaning solutions to lift the grime away from the surface, by applying a simple spray-and-wipe method. It may take several repeats of this step to get the sink back to its pre-fire state but, over time, the grime can be lifted away layer by layer.

Once all the physical evidence of your small fire has been removed, including soot on the mirror, walls, and door, all that remains is to remove the malodor left behind. SERVPRO has several options when it comes to removing the burning-plastic scent in the air but, for this job, our technicians can use hydroxyl generators to change the particles in the air that cause the odor in the first place. Once finished, we can return your home to you, "Like it never even happened."

When fire damage interrupts your life, never wait to get it back on track. Speak with SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills by dialing (818) 998-1500. Day or night, we're always ready to assist you.

Click here for more information about the May 2019 Community Beautification Project.

When Your Canoga Park Coffee Shop Experiences A Water Damage Emergency Our Crew Is Here To Help!

4/4/2019 (Permalink)

Just call us at (818) 998-1500, and let us leave your coffee shop “Like it never even happened.”

Your Coffee Shop In Canoga Park Has Water Damage

Imagine that you finally opened a coffee shop in Canoga Park and customers visit it regularly. It has a shabby chic vibe with overstuffed armchairs and perfect nooks for patrons to read a book or work remotely. After much work, your coffee shop is a dream come true. Except for one day you arrive to find out that a pipe burst in the business next door and your gleaming hardwood floors and beautiful area rugs are soaking wet and you shut down until further notice.

Do not let commercial water damage to your Canoga Park coffee shop kill your dream. Instead, reach out to SERVPRO as soon as you discover the issue. Our rapid response crew is available 24/7 and ready to jump into action to help you restore your business as soon as possible. We understand that every minute the coffee shop is not serving its patrons, it is losing revenue and customer loyalty, so we work expediently to minimize your losses.

One of the principal concerns when dealing with businesses that serve food are health department regulations. Our SERVPRO crew is familiar with the nuances of specific businesses, so we work closely with you, so the restoration process complies with guidelines as needed. This adherence to regulations helps minimize the time your shop remains closed and any resulting loss in revenue.

Depending on the extent of the leak next door, we may be able to salvage your area rugs and furniture. When possible, we dry and disinfect all surfaces and leave them ready for business. Whenever our SERVPRO team is unable to salvage an item, we dispose of it following environmental and local regulations, so you do not have to worry about it.

Do not let water damage squash your dream. SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is ready to jump into action to help you get back in business as soon as possible. Just call us at (818) 998-1500, and let us leave your coffee shop “Like it never even happened.”

Click here for more about Canoga Park.

Our Crew Is Here To Help After A Water Damage Disaster In Your Canoga Park Home

3/27/2019 (Permalink)

Call us anytime at (818) 998-1500 when in need of water extraction services in West Hills, Winnetka and Bell Canyon.

Get Effective Remediation For Water Damage To Your Canoga Park Residence

Different factors can cause water damage in your home. One of them is leaking or burst pipes. Toilets and drains that get blocked and backed up can exert undue pressure in the pipes, causing them to leak or burst. Malfunctioning garbage disposal units may also cause pipes to burst. Pipes may also leak due to rust or age.

Plumbing leaks may cause water damage to your Canoga Park residence. Some plumbing leaks are impossible to detect since they occur within the walls, but many happen due to pipes and hoses not being fully attached. Pipe bursts and leaks can result in high water bills. Holes may also lead to the contamination of your water supply, reducing its quality and making it a health hazard for your home’s occupants.

Water loss is a progressive problem that gets worse when not fixed promptly. Water may weaken wooden structures and corrode metals. Many homes heavily rely on these two critical materials in addition to concrete. Water from pipes leaking under the floors may surface up, but remain concealed if carpets and rugs are covering your crawl areas. To keep your home from sustaining significant damage, you should call a water removal company like SERVPRO for a quick fix.

If water is pooling in your home, our technicians can help you dry it out. Our technicians use pumps, dehumidifiers, and air movers to remove water from a building and dry it so that it returns to its preloss condition. We set a drying goal upon assessing the damage and monitor the drying process to determine if the goal is being achieved. A drying goal is a condition that SERVPRO technicians want to bring about in the affected areas of a building.

We provide a full-service restoration service that patches up leaky and burst pipes and addresses the damage you’ve incurred. We focus on getting back the property to its form before the leak, making it look “Like it never even happened.”

Do not wait when you notice water pooling in your residence. SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is ready to assist you when facing any water loss. We are close by and can get to your home quickly. Call us anytime at (818) 998-1500 when in need of water extraction services in West Hills, Winnetka and Bell Canyon.

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Water Damage in Canoga Park Can Be Mitigated

3/22/2019 (Permalink)

Rely on SERVPRO for Reducing the Effects of Unwanted Water Intrusion

Water intrusion can come from broken plumbing, storms, or flood waters. Regardless of the source, indoor flooding in Canoga Park can mean prohibitive replacement costs unless you bring in a professional restoration company promptly. 
 
Water damage is a common occurrence for many Canoga Park homes. SERVPRO has many years of hands on experience in dealing with homes underwater, condos with a bad roof, and apartments with carpets that make a squishing sound when you walk on them. To address every contingency, we keep a response team on 24-hour call and ready to support our communities. 
 
Our technicians are trained to quickly determine what services are needed and begin work within minutes after arriving at a home. Our first task is to stop further water intrusion. We can turn off water mains in a few moments and have most homes receiving restoration services immediately.

Next, we remove all excess water. For standing water over an inch, we deploy truck mounted water pumps to draw it all out. If the water is under an inch in height, we use water extraction wands. In case the power is out, we can bring in commercial grade generators and even a generator truck for the larger homes and amounts of water. 
 
Once the standing water is gone, our next task is to dry out floors, carpets, and possibly even the walls. We use air movers to force warm, dry air across floors and walls, drawing out moisture. This drier air replaces the colder, damp air we pull out of the house or apartment with box fans. 
 
To bolster these actions, crew members also station large dehumidifiers to draw moisture from the surrounding air. Depending on the humidity levels, these devices can draw over 20 gallons of moisture from the air each day. It provides drier air for the air movers which allows them to function more efficiently. There is a definite synergistic effect working in tandem. Our IICRC certified applied structural drying technicians maximize drying time while minimizing harm to the structure and its contents.
 
We also offer preventive services since the best way to deal with wet carpets, and crumbling drywall is to stop the water from getting into the house. Our inspectors also take note of easy fixes like poorly maintained gutters and drain pipes that are damaged and draining onto the foundation, rather than away from the structure. Ask about our ERP Plan to help prevent and reduce fire and water damage to homes and businesses.
 
If it is not possible to stop water from getting onto a property, we offer the option of digging around a home’s foundation and coating the outside with a specially designed, rubber sealant that blocks water from working its way through the bricks and concrete. This coating is particularly useful in homes with a basement or a large crawlspace. 
 
Rain is often far out in the forecast, but plumbing leaks are not. If you need to deal with a current problem or want to try and stop water intrusion in the future, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills today at (818) 998-1500. We are here to help.

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Smoke, Ashe, and Soot Problems after a Fire in Your West Hills Home? Easy Choice--Call SERVPRO for Cleanup and Restoration

3/13/2019 (Permalink)

West Hills House Fire? There is No Match for SERVPRO's Cleanup and Restoration

Fire Damage Technicians From West Hills Explain Soot Removal Techniques

Burning candles is an activity that could cause a fire to take place inside your West Hills home. When candles get hot, they can burn flammable items next to them and cause fire damage to take place. If candles get knocked down onto the floor, then they could ignite your carpet. If an unfortunate occurance ever does happen to cause a burning inside your house, it is wise to call a professional fire damage restoration company such as SERVPRO.
 
When items burn inside a house, the smoke coming from the burnt materials can cause different issues other than those caused by the heat and flames. During most fire damage projects in West Hills, our SERVPRO technicians deal with the removal of soot and soils created by smoke as much as, if not more than problems related to burnt items. When smoke travels through a building, it solidifies when coming into contact with cooler surfaces like your ceilings and walls. The result is then, the presence of soils and soot residues. Since fires all burn different materials, various types of soot can exist.
 
During any restoration project, our SERVPRO estimators arrive at your residence with a test kit. The testing kit helps us determine which items got negatively affected by smoke and what methods will work best to clean them. During the initial estimate, we utilize different chemicals to figure out which items we can save and clean and which items will need to be removed and replaced.
 
Since soot affects materials differently, we utilize several different methods to clean off the soils and ashes. For example, when cleaning more porous materials like softwoods, dry sponges get used to clean off soot. Dry cleaning methods work best for porous materials because water could make the damage worse by soaking the soot deeper into the materials. Harder, non-porous materials such as tile can be wiped and cleaned with powerful water-based detergents.
 
If you ever notice the presence of soot residues after contents or structural elements inside your house burn, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

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You Need The Experts At SERVPRO When Your Canoga Park Home Experiences A Flood Damage Disaster!

2/13/2019 (Permalink)

Give us a call as soon as possible so we can come to your home and restore it back to how it was before the storm.

Flood Damage Restoration For Your Canoga Park Home

Whether it is heavy rainstorms or a flash flood, when massive amounts of water hit your property in Canoga Park all at once, the resulting problem can be quite severe. It's not possible to be prepared for every situation which can cause havoc to your home, but it is always good to have a plan for what to do if it happens to you. Everyone can be at risk for flooding, but if you live in a flood zone, you should be prepared.

The two most crucial things you can do to prepare for a flood and flood damage to your Canoga Park home is to have enough flood insurance and know whom to call after a flood. SERVPRO’s staff is IICRC trained and certified, and we are always available to help you, so do not hesitate to contact us as soon as the storms are over.

Once we have arrived and assessed the damage to your home, our first goal is to extract as much standing water as possible. In a flooding situation where the water is more than two inches deep, a submersible pump with enough volume capacity and lift capability is used. We do not use the pup if the water is contaminated with solid materials, however. The water is pumped directly into a treated sewer, such as a toilet. We do not dispose of cleaning wastes through the toilet if there is a septic system.

Extractors can be used in cleaning upholstery and carpet and removing water from floors. These devices usually have three main components – a pump, heater, and vacuum system. Extractors can be portable or truck mounted. It is easier for us to use the portable extractor to take into your structure and get into restricted areas. The truck-mounted extractors have the same components but are more powerful and have their own power sources. They are designed to be efficient for restorative cleaning and water removal.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is the wise choice when you need help drying your home in Bell Canyon, Winnetka, or West Hills after flooding. Give us a call at (818) 998-1500 as soon as possible so we can come to your home and restore it back to how it was before the storm.

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We Are The Experts To Call When Your Canoga Park Home Is Plagued By Mold

1/28/2019 (Permalink)

We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster!

Effective Ways Of Dealing With Mold Damage In Canoga Park

If you let mold to grow in your Canoga Park home, it is likely to be a great nuisance. In addition to from the unsightly patches it leaves on perfectly finished surfaces, mold also produces a musty smell. Although these two are the most visible signs of mold infestation, it damages the property in other severe ways. If left to grow unabated for long, mold can eat into organic materials such as wood compromising their structural integrity. We offer professional remediation services to help restore your home to preloss state.

Before trying to fix mold damage in Canoga Park, it is essential to know the cause. All cases of mold infestation involve excess moisture, so it is essential to identify the moisture source if it is not apparent. In many cases, leaking plumbing lines or fixtures provide the necessary moisture to fuel growth. Other cases may involve relatively high levels of humidity in the house. Our SERVPRO technicians check infestation patterns and use advanced equipment such as thermal cameras to identify the moisture sources in confined spaces.

Several approaches can help remove mold from the affected property. The best approaches are those that are not too labor-intensive, produce long-term results and cause limited or no damages to the underlying materials. Our SERVPRO technicians use various advanced procedures like dry ice blasting which is highly effective in removing embedded mold from OSB, wood studs and plywood among other surfaces. We also use soda blasting which is equally useful on many surfaces without causing abrasion or any other type of damage.

Mold can cause health effects especially through inhalation of contact with the residues. It is therefore essential to protect people from the debris during the removal processes. Our SERVPRO technicians create containment barriers with plastic sheets to prevent mold residues from spreading. Containing the residues only in the affected areas also reduces the necessary cleanup efforts.

If your property is infested with mold colonies, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.

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The Advantages of SERVPRO's Fire Damage Remediation Services in Canoga Park

1/24/2019 (Permalink)

Candles should be monitored when they are lit because of the possibility of fire. Contact SERVPRO right away if your home has fire damage.

Why SERVPRO Should Be Your First Choice for Fire Damage Restoration in Your Canoga Park Home

Candles have long been used for lighting homes, and even though electric light bulbs have overtaken candles as the primary light source for homes, many people in Canoga Park still use decorative candles. There is something about the scent and flickering glow of candles that is charming and keeps people buy more.
 
Lit candles are, unfortunately, the cause of many preventable fires and fire damage. If your home has fallen victim to fire damage in Canoga Park, you need help restoring your home. SERVPRO has fast, 24-hour service which means we can get to you whenever you need us. Add that to our professionally trained staff and industrial tools, and it is easy to see why SERVPRO is the choice to make for fire damage restoration.
 
If you love burning candles at home, knowing some safety tips is essential. Firstly, burning candles should not ever be left unattended, and you need to keep them away from anything flammable. If your candle is in a holder, it needs to be sturdy enough so that it cannot be easily knocked over, especially if you have pets or young children in the home. When accidents happen, SERVPRO technicians can help you clean up the mess, even from a small fire.
 
Along the same line, any candles you are burning should not be in reach of pets or children. Curious hands can quickly and easily get burned and cause an accident in your home. It is also recommended that the wicks on all your candles are trimmed to a quarter inch before you start burning them each time. Wicks which are longer can create uneven burning and dripping.
 
Make sure and read the instructions from the manufacturer as well. Most candles should not be burned for more than a couple of hours at a time. When you are ready to extinguish the candles, use a candle snuffer instead of blowing on them since hot wax can splatter.
 
For additional safety, you can purchase flameless candles as a safe alternative. They produce a similar glowing, soft effect that real candles have. During a power outage, lit candles are not recommended. Instead, use battery-powered lanterns, flashlights, or flameless candles.
 
SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills is always available to help you restore your home in Bell Canyon, Winnetka, or West Hills after a fire. You can reach us by dialing (818) 998-1500 whenever you need, and we can make the fire and smoke damage only a memory.

Click here for more about Canoga Park.

When a Plumbing Leak Causes Water Damage to Your Canoga Park Home

1/2/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the technology and experience to remove all unwanted water from your home.

A Water Removal Team in Canoga Park Talks About Extraction Equipment

Whenever any problems related to moisture takes place in your Canoga Park townhome, it is wise to call in a professional restoration company such as SERVPRO. We know that prompt water removal can save you money and time during the mitigation process. Once moisture starts to affect your contents and building materials, many things can happen that may make matters worse. When water sits, it increases indoor relative humidity levels and can cause secondary problems related to water vapor and mold, which is why prompt water removal immediately after a problem takes place is vital.  

Once a small crack forms inside your plumbing system, many gallons of water can pour into your townhouse. The quickest way to conduct prompt water removal in Canoga Park is to send in a professional mitigation crew such as SERVPRO's highly trained team. After we receive work authorization, we assess the situation and determine the remediation process. We then make sure the work area is safe for all occupants. If there are any potential hazards present, we repair the problems so that your house is safe for work to begin.  

The first and one of the most critical steps to the process is the extraction phase. After we inspect your house and make sure that is safe we then fix the source of the problem. After repairing the leak and ensuring that no more water enters the building, we start removing the moisture. We begin by removing any standing water. If the depth is more than two inches, we utilize a submersible pump.  

Once all of the standing water is gone, we then start extracting moisture from porous materials like your carpets and upholstered furniture. For thick carpets, we use large, heavy-duty extraction tools and for items like a couch, we can use smaller hand-held wands. The extraction process aids in removing the majority of the moisture before our SERVPRO crew begins the rapid structural drying process. If you ever need help with moisture-related problems, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 any day of the week.  

Canoga Park was once called Owensmouth. Read more here.

Our Experts Explain Why It Is Better To Remove, Rather Than Kill, The Mold Infestation In Your Canoga Park Home

12/19/2018 (Permalink)

Finding the right solution for mold growth in your home is a struggle that many homeowners have to face throughout their life.

Dead Mold And How It Can Still Pose A Risk To Canoga Park Homes

Finding the right solution for mold growth in your Canoga Park home is a struggle that many homeowners have to face throughout their life. From DIY websites suggesting that you can accomplish mold removal on your own to cheaper services offering to “kill the mold” instead of removing the organism entirely, settling on services like our professionals provide can often be a difficult decision to make. However, there are reasons why this is better than the other choices that are available to you to remove the mold from your property.

Understanding what is involved in these other methods of removal, much of them leave the potential for mold damage in your Canoga Park residence. Ultimately, the ideal solution is to remove the organism completely and thwart its ability to continue damaging your property in the immediate future. However, services that offer to kill the organism without removing the dead mold pose continued threats to your property, and with good reason: dead mold colonies and debris can still affect the health of those people and pets living in the house.

The professional removal that our SERVPRO team provides works to leave no mold debris and damage behind for your family to face. The test for mold allergies utilizes a dead spore to test a body’s reaction. If this single dead spore can agitate a body enough to generate a determination of allergies, imagine what a widespread area of your home full of spores and debris could allow.

Our SERVPRO professionals work to provide entire removal services for our customers to truly make the situation “Like it never even happened.” We remove materials if they have gotten too badly damaged from the spreading organism and work to prevent further mold growth in other areas by our effective containment strategies and antimicrobial solutions that can get sprayed on framing, studs, beams, and other structural elements that could still be at risk for spreading spores.

There are shortcuts to removing mold that still put your family at risk of potential health effects, and then there is professional remediation. Give our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills rapid response team a call anytime you need us at (818) 998-1500.

Click here for more about Canoga Park.

Do You Have a Drying Process For Your Water Damaged Canoga Park Home?

12/13/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has the training and state-of-art equipment to remove the water from your home.

Canoga Park Residents Receive Full-Service Water Drying Services

As a water restoration company in the Canoga Park area, we are always on the lookout for ways to improve our recovery times. It is one of our restoration companies primary goals, to reduce costs and increase distribution while maintaining quality services that our customers deserve, that are also safe for the environment.

Implementing a sustainable drying process to combat water damage throughout the Canoga Park area gives us the opportunity to adjust services to fit a variety of specific situations. With that said, we work hard to get your property back to normal faster, with fewer interruptions, inconveniences, and losses than ever before. Water damage incidents may remain devastating. However, we help make the process less disorienting and get you up and running faster than ever before.

SERVPRO provides you with an advanced water drying process, safely monitoring structural components, along with walls, floors, ceilings, carpeting, and more. Often reducing the time and amount of demolition required to provide you with the services needed to return your property to a quality condition after water intrusions occur. We effectively address indoor air quality and give new life to your home’s living environment.

SERVPRO is; Faster To Any Size Disaster. Providing you with solutions to water drying situations that commonly occur on your property. Our technicians use hygrometers, dehumidifiers, air movers, portable fans and heaters, as well as infrared moisture detectors to eliminate water pockets found throughout the affected area.

SERVPRO works with you to ensure you receive the results you desire, making every effort to communicate issues with your insurance adjuster to make your claim process as simple as possible. We want you to know that we provide professional restoration services to members of our local community because we care. Hopefully, you see it in everything we do to restore your property to a quality condition after an event occurs.

SERPVRO of Canoga Park / West Hills provides you with professional water damage and drying services throughout the area. You can reach our highly-trained staff 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, online or by phone, stop by today. (818) 998-1500

Canoga Park was once called Owensmouth. Read more about it here.

SERVPRO Provides Water Loss Service to Commercial Buildings in Canoga Park from the Top to the Bottom

12/2/2018 (Permalink)

Leaky Roof Ruining Your Canoga Park Warehouse Inventory? Easy, Call SERVPRO for Removal and Drying

Commercial Water Damage Due to Decaying Roofing Materials in Warehouses in Canoga Park

Your warehouse's structure is a significant factor in protecting your business's inventory in Canoga Park. Each part is just as important as the last when it comes to keeping out the elements, and this makes maintaining your property a crucial part of business operations.
 
Small problems within your roof's structure in Canoga Park can grow and lead to commercial water damage inside your facility. SERVPRO can send in IICRC-certified specialists and technicians who know what to do to mitigate such damage and get things stabilized and productive again, “Like it never even happened.”
 
Our employees have experience in working in almost every environment and can get your operations back on track again using effective methods that address all of your concerns. Our teams significantly reduce the amount of time your business remains stalled or at partial capacity because of SERVPRO's commitment to the mitigation and restoration of your property.
 
We use thermal imaging cameras equipped with infrared technology to locate the disintegrated areas in your roof that require attention and repairs, so roofing professionals spend less time performing the necessary work. Shaving time off wherever possible by ensuring that we mark every opening in your warehouse's roof also means that roofers carry out a thorough job in re-securing your roof but still finishing quickly.
 
On the inside of your warehouse, water damage can affect raw materials, produced goods, equipment, internal structures, and the environment your employees work in, so getting standing water extracted needs to happen quickly. This might involve small puddles under equipment or hidden water inside cracks in the concrete slab. SERVPRO works with you during the water damage mitigation process and does everything possible to assist you in reducing associated costs.
 
We use different equipment to bring water vapor levels back down to normal. Air movers keep water vapor from condensing while desiccant machines extract the moisture from the air as it passes through. Our Injectidry equipment sends warm, dry air into small cavities in walls, ceilings, and flooring to speed up evaporation rates. Normal humidity does not permit mold to grow, and it also does not facilitate water damage in spreading. Cleaning up any current water damage in your warehouse can take place once the conditions that created it no longer exist.
 
SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is ready to take your call about your business's water damage situation. Contact us, day or night, at (818) 998-1500. We also serve businesses in Winnetka and Bell Canyon.

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Revealed: Making a Quick, Educated Choice About Water Damage Remediation in Canoga Park is Crucial

11/25/2018 (Permalink)

Regardless of whether the water damage in your home is a large gush of water or accumulates slowly behind walls, contact team SERVPRO for services.

Fast Response for Water Damage in Your Canoga Park Home

There are many threats to your Canoga Park home that you can handle on your own with conventional cleaning approaches or some education for simple repairs. When it comes to water damages that threaten your property, these situations often require the expertise and education of skilled restoration technicians with the tools to do the job correctly. Failure to clean up water damage incidents in your home appropriately can lead to worsening conditions like mold and microbial growth.

Choosing the right team of restorers to overcome this water damage in your Canoga Park residence does not have to be a challenging task. You need specialists that can arrive quickly when disaster strikes, have the knowledge and skill set to help, and the equipment necessary to restore your home quickly. Our SERVPRO rapid response team fits into these requirements to provide our customers with comprehensive restoration packages for their home right when disaster strikes.

Our SERVPRO franchise prides itself on providing 24-hour assistance to the customers within our service area because disasters do not always wait until normal business hours. You have a team of highly trained technicians at your disposal whenever you need us, and a simple phone call can get boots on the ground with the equipment necessary to preserve your property and the contents within it.

The equipment available to our technicians showcases the advanced technology available to the restoration industry by providing efficient solutions to extraction and drying necessary to restore your water-damaged home. From our fast extraction equipment like truck-mounted pumps and extraction wands to our high-powered air movers and industrial-strength dehumidifiers for fast drying, we can protect your home from further damage.

You might not have given much thought to restoration companies before, but when you get posed with substantial water damage to your property, you need a team you can trust to help. Our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills are available 24/7 to help you clean up the mess and protect your property from the harmful effects of water damages. Give us a call today at (818) 998-1500.

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Canoga Park Grapples with The Woolsey Wildfire—SERVPRO Helps

11/13/2018 (Permalink)

Canoga Park and the Woolsey Wildfire Being Extinguished by Our Brave Firefighters and Pilots

Fast Restoration for Your Fire-Damaged Canoga Park Home

With evacuations throughout the area, many residents sought refuge from the devastating Woolsey Wildfire in Canoga Park Senior High School while firefighters worked day and night to suppress its spread and progression. Homes throughout the area have gotten destroyed, substantially damaged, and otherwise adversely affected by this catastrophe and now seek professional restoration assistance to overcome the damages.

With many homeowners getting their first look at how Woolsey affected their Canoga Park property, many do not fully understand the effectiveness and efficiency available to them from our skilled technicians. Our IICRC-certified fire restoration technicians have the equipment and the expertise to handle everything from reconstruction preparation to premier cleanup and deodorization efforts.

Some homes were regrettably directly in the path of the fire, consuming them entirely. Many other properties experienced a degree of structural damage that must get removed to rebuild and restore the home entirely. Our SERVPRO technicians can help to prepare your property for these reconstruction efforts through our controlled demolition techniques that remove only the unsalvageable materials to make the contracting work as efficient as possible.

Our premier cleaning services can help to overcome soot, debris, soil, and ash throughout the interior of your home. With deep cleaning equipment for carpets, fabrics, and furniture, we can help to preserve these elements. Our high-powered vacuums can help to remove set in debris and soot from surfaces, as well as eliminate contaminants and particulates trapped in your HVAC system.

The SERVPRO professionals that get dispatched to the emergency in your home have the skills and the equipment to overcome smoke and odors as well. Our air scrubbers and thermal foggers can work to both clean the environment throughout the affected areas of your home and neutralize harsh odors that get trapped inside.

Woolsey has affected many properties throughout the past week, and there are damages yet to get calculated. Do not wait to get the help that you need. Trust our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills fire restoration specialists to help you restore your fire-damaged home quickly. Give us a call anytime at (818) 998-1500.

Local efforts for supplies after the wildfire here

Storms Can Spell Trouble For Your Canoga Park Home!

11/12/2018 (Permalink)

When you find flood damage inside of your home, it is essential to call for professional remediation services as soon as you possibly can.

Seasonal Storms And An Old Roof Can Lead To Flood Damage Inside Your Canoga Park Home

It's essential to pay attention to the condition of your roof before heading into the stormy season, and eventually winter, as a weak roof can lead to flood damage inside of your home. However, accidents can happen and life can get busy. The last thing you expected to find when returning home after a long day of work was a living room filled with large puddles of water that leaked into your home from the roof above during the rainy day. Despite how overwhelming this situation can be, it is comforting to know that professional help can be contacted nearby to assist in the situation.

When you find flood damage inside of your Canoga Park home, it is essential to call for professional remediation services as soon as you possibly can. The longer the standing water is inside your home, the more time it has to sink into your floorboards and cause water damage to the structure of your home. Leaving it even longer can eventually lead to complications such as mold damage. The sooner that you get professionals into your home, the more likely it is that the water can be cleaned up with ease and the remediation can be successful.

When SERVPRO is called to your home, we always aim to show up as quickly as we can so our technicians can get to work right away. We pride ourselves on being Faster to Any Size Disaster. Once our crew arrives at the job site, our SERVPRO techs can unload our equipment and begin addressing the standing water in your home right away.

Our technicians can use tools such as wet/dry vacuums and extractors to remove the excess water from your living room floors. Afterward, SERVPRO can use moisture meters and thermal imaging technology to look for pockets of moisture and pinpoint where to use our drying technology around your walls. Once we set up our air movers and dehumidifiers, the moisture in the walls can begin to dry. After the moisture levels of your home are returned to their pre-flooded state, our job is finished, and you can enjoy your flood damage free home once more.

Should you ever find flood damage in your home, it is imperative for you to seek out help right away. Make a call to SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills by dialing (818) 998-1500. Day or night, we're open to assist you.

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Our Team At SERVPRO Can Handle Any Size Water Damage Disaster In Your Canoga Park Home

11/7/2018 (Permalink)

Both moisture that is present on the floor and vapor in the air can both cause extensive water damage.

Water Damage Professionals In Canoga Park Talk About Possible Dangers

If a pipe breaks or an appliance ever malfunctions inside your Canoga Park home, moisture will follow gravity and affect every building material it touches on the way down. Both moisture that is present on the floor and vapor in the air can both cause extensive water damage.

Stagnant water can be dangerous and become a breeding ground for harmful bacterias. When moisture penetrates building materials, it can also make them lose their structural integrity. Even though with smaller leaks it is possible to do by yourself, it is still wise to contact SERVPRO to ensure all of the proper steps of restoration get followed.

After a mishap takes place on your property, it is vital to be conscious of possible hazards that could have been created. Before our SERVPRO technicians begin mitigating any water damage situation in Canoga Park, we take several steps to ensure that the work area is safe. If the problem is minor, our technicians can often fix the issue themselves. If the problem is more severe, like advanced electrical issues, then we can call in a licensed subcontractor to repair the problem. In these cases, our team blocks off the hazardous area of your house until the problem can get mitigated.

When moisture gets onto the floor, it can create slip hazardous that are labeled and then dealt with during the extraction process. If materials like drywall or ceiling tiles get wet, they can create fall hazards. To avoid problems with things falling our SERVPRO technicians remove in possible building materials that seem like they are weak enough to fall.

Stagnant or standing water itself can be dangerous; therefore extraction is usually the first step we take during the mitigation process. Even if the source of the issue is a clean water source, parasites and bacteria can still form in the affected areas if not treated quickly. Moisture can also attract insects and small rodents if not removed promptly. If you ever notice standing water after a leak, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 24/7.

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How Our Professionals Mitigate Commercial Water Damage And Foul Odors In Your Canoga Park Hotel

10/1/2018 (Permalink)

One cause of bad odors hotels in Canoga Park might experience come from commercial water damage.

Your Hotel's Odor Control Needs After Mitigation Of Commercial Water Damage In Canoga Park

Many sources of unwanted odors can occur in a busy hotel in Canoga Park. Guests' activities from smoking to accidents can cause bad odors to linger long after check-out time, and regular cleaning by your staff might not eliminate them entirely.

One cause of bad odors hotels in Canoga Park might experience come from commercial water damage. Even after mitigation of such damage finishes and workers leave, bad odors can still permeate the air. SERVPRO can help you get things back to normal in such situations. When we provide water damage mitigation services, we also include odor control.

Because we only remove materials that sustained damage, other materials that require cleaning and nothing else remain intact and in place. Sometimes the microscopic changes that take place and the by-products involved in the changes materials suffer when becoming damaged by water create unpleasant odors. These odors can seem permanent, but our IICRC-certified Odor Control Technician (OCT) can rid your hotel of the problem.

We use hydroxyl and ozone-producing machines. However, we cannot safely use ozone in occupied areas, so we rely on hydroxyl gas instead. This gas is so potent, and it can remove the worst odors. Many factories use hydroxyl where odor control is essential to workers' comfort and safety.

When we perform water damage mitigation, we use air scrubbers, as these greatly diminish the amount of dust and debris in the air. These can eliminate many odors, but even with the best units, odors can still linger. When carpeting becomes saturated with water, odors can develop long before physical damage occurs. Such carpeting often remains in place without the need to remove and replace it. However, we can solve the odors stemming from the offending areas with injections of odor-eliminating gels. These can also provide a means to scent the area with something more pleasant.

Regardless of how badly your water damage issues were in the past, solving the odors left behind can make your hotel feel bright and fresh, “Like it never even happened.” Call us, SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills, at (818) 998-1500, to get things going in the right direction again.

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The Complete Guide To Flood Damage In Canoga Park For 2018

9/21/2018 (Permalink)

It is hard to anticipate the damages likely to occur if your Canoga Park home floods because each flooding case is unique.

Essential Tips To Help You Deal With The Effects Of Flood Damage In Canoga Park

It is hard to anticipate the damages likely to occur if your Canoga Park home floods because each flooding case is unique. Factors like the level of water, how long the standing water remains in the property, and the kind of contaminants present in the water affect the level of damage you have to address. Understanding the impact of flooding incidents before they happen can help you take the right mitigation steps.

One thing that amplifies the effects of flood damage in Canoga Park is the presence of contaminants in the water. Floodwaters usually disrupt waste disposal systems, carrying some of the toxic wastes with them wherever they flow. These toxins are deposited in any porous materials so even if you were to dry them, the contaminants remain, therefore, posing other risks to you. Apart from affecting the contents of your house, floodwaters also deposit mud or silt which also have these contaminants and therefore require the right removal procedures. Our SERVPRO technicians can help you remove the carpet, pad and even upholstered furniture in the affected areas easily. We also handle any waste deposited in the house safely.

It is not easy to associate fire risk with flooding, but failure to take proper precautions could lead to situations where you have to deal with both water and fire damages. When electrical appliances are exposed to water, short circuits can happen which lead to fires if the appliance is turned on. Our SERVPRO team has the necessary tools including vacuum cleaners, so you do not have to use yours before the restoration is completed.

Some cases of flooding might cause structural damages to the property. Common problems include severe wood rot, distortions such as warping of floorboards and termite damage because wet wood is very enticing to the termites. Most of these damages occur if the water remains in your property for extended periods. Our SERVPRO team helps by removing the water fast. We also do a thorough inspection once restoration is done to ensure none of these structural problems remain hidden.

Since it is not possible to avoid floods, you should call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills to help restore your property. You can reach us at (818) 998-1500 any time of the day.

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A Leaking Dishwasher Can Cause Water Damage inside of Your Canoga Park Home

9/16/2018 (Permalink)

If your dishwasher suddenly dumps water on your kitchen floor, call SERVPRO to both dry out the room and remediate the damage.

Team SERVPRO Offers Effective Water Damage Remediation in Your Kitchen

Appliances are extremely useful tools to have inside your home, but they can be troublesome when they break down and cause problems such as water damage. When it comes to your dishwasher, a frequent leak could cause further troubles inside of your residence should it not be addressed. While it may be tempting just to lay a towel down and delay a professional from fixing your appliance, doing so can cause damages to your tile flooring.
 
When water damage sets into your Canoga Park kitchen, it can crack floor tiles. When your dishwasher leaks, the water initially pools onto your floor around it. However, over time, the water slowly sinks between the tiles and into the base below it, causing it to expand from the absorption and causing cracks and separation above. Furthermore, the water can damage the cabinets around your dishwasher. If the damage it is left unchecked, the water can cause further complications such as mold damage. To ensure the longevity of your home and avoid unnecessary expenses, it is essential to call for help upon finding water damage inside of your home.
 
When you call SERVPRO, we always strive to arrive at your home within hours of your first call. Our first employ to arrive is our Estimator, and they can walk you through the damage after an initial inspection. Our Estimator is there to answer any questions and address any of your concerns.
 
When our IICRC-certified technicians arrive, we can begin the remediation promptly. Here at SERVPRO, we use advanced trade technology, such as devices like air movers, dehumidifiers, and axial fans. Using all three in conjunction allows us to create an environment that is ideal for the evaporation of moisture. Over a period, these devices can draw the moisture away from your belongings and prevent further damage. At the end of the remediation, SERVPRO can do one last sweep to ensure that the moisture levels inside of your home are adequate.
 
If you find water damage inside of your kitchen, never wait to call for services. Get in touch with SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills by phoning (818) 998-1500. Night or day, we are always available to help.

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Bell Canyon's Mold Damage Technicians Talk About Remediation In Attics

9/4/2018 (Permalink)

If organic materials stay wet for more than two days, microbial growth can start to take place.

Mold Damage Technicians Talk About Remediation

The roof on your Bell Canyon home is a part of the structure that receives a lot of abuse. If your roof ever leaks it is possible that mold damage can occur. Over time roofing materials wear making it easier for storms or objects to create holes in your roof. During a storm, rainwater drills onto your roof and if there is a hole, water enters the interior of your house making mold damage likely to occur.

Most buildings have an attic that sits in between their living area and the underside of the roof. Attics are a common place for mold damage in Bell Canyon to occur for several reasons. First, many attics have elevated temperatures and humidity levels anyways because they sit above the living area of the home. Fungi tend to settle in humid areas that receive little sunlight, just like most attics. Attics are usually not finished with flooring and wall materials, so they contain a lot of bare organic materials such as paper and wood.

In many cases, the source of a moisture problem inside an attic is a leaky roof. Over time roofs get more susceptible to damage and being the source of a water leak. If water gets into your attic and you do not notice it, the problems can get much worse the longer the issues go without being mitigated. If organic materials stay wet for more than two days, microbial growth can start to take place.

Once a fungus develops it starts buildings structures called hyphae. Many times hyphae are what give mold a black or fuzzy white look. Once hyphae develop, they grow in all three directions on the contaminated object. As the hyphae spread out across and into an organic substance, they let off spores that are used for the fungi's reproduction purposes. These spores can become airborne and float around until they settle and contaminated a previously unaffected area.

If mold ever contaminates your attic, it is possible that spores can get into the ventilation system of the house and possible cause microbial growth in other regions far away from the source. If you ever notice that fungal growth occurs in your home, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 24 hours a day.

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Removing the Effects of Fire Damage in Winnetka Neighborhoods

8/27/2018 (Permalink)

Smoky Odors after a House Fire in Winnetka? Call SERVPRO to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Winnetka Homeowners Confront Odors after a Fire Loss and Call SERVPRO for Cleanup and Recovery

Say the word ‘fire,’ and every Winnetka resident flinches. The recent wildfires in our area brought home the threat locally to many who thought this was only an issue for Northern California.
 
Despite these significant threats, most Winnetka fire damage does not involve major destruction. Often, SERVPRO restoration teams spend as much effort on eliminating odors which can prevent owners and residents from living in their homes without discomfort as they do on other issues.
 
Smoke residues generate odors as fire cools and extinguishes. If an item of personal or structural property, a sofa or drywall panel, for example, cannot be cleaned, team members remove it from home immediately. This initial step is important, since removing affected property reduces the strength of the odors, and allows our technicians to determine better what they need to clean the home.
 
Cleaning residues from affected surfaces eliminate the majority of odors in a home. Even a tiny amount of odor-causing particles can generate an unpleasant smell throughout the home. Depending on the type of residue, SERVPRO technicians use a combination of chemical cleaners, sponge, and scrub brushes to remove them.
 
If the residues are dry and powdery, then team members can wipe them away quickly and with sponges and maybe a mild cleaner. For wet, sticky residues, they need a stronger cleaning agent and perhaps a scrub brush to agitate and break them up for removal.
 
When odor-causing particles penetrate the surface of a property item, then technicians may have to recreate the conditions of how that happened to clean them. Since the particles first settled as part of the fire’s smoke, our teams can use a fog machine to generate a cloud of chemical cleaner particles that can penetrate to the same depth as the original smoke particles, neutralizing them completely.
 
If there are still lingering odors after cleaning the home, technicians can either remove more property for disposal or off-site cleaning or seal the surfaces to prevent further release of odor-causing particles. For odors trapped behind walls, and if the owner does not want to replace framing or other support structures, then our teams use paint with an odor-blocker to seal off the affected area.
 
Our goal, after every fire, is to return each home to its original, odor-free condition. If you need us, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500.

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Restoring Flood Damaged Property in Canoga Park

8/26/2018 (Permalink)

When facing flooding in your home, contact SERVPRO for drying out and remediation services. Call right away for the most effective results.

SERVPRO Technicians Help Determine What can be Restored and What to Replace After a Flood

Cleaning up after a flood is not a routine concern for Canoga Park residents. Sudden storms do happen every year though and a flash flood after one of them can cause a lot of damage, forcing homeowners and residents to decide what is worth saving and what requires disposal, regardless of the personal value.
 
Determining the cost of flood damage in Canoga Park to personal property is not something most residents can familiarize themselves within a few hours or days. This is why it is important to bring in our specialists here at SERVPRO. We help you determine what property can be restored at a reasonable cost and what is either too expensive or too damaged to repair and should be removed for disposal.
 
Our restoration teams make these determinations based on the amount of labor hours and the materials needed to restore personal property. Here, we use clothing as an example. Even in a flood, where the water is contaminated, most cotton clothing can be cleaned with the right detergent from our cleaning chemical inventory and using a commercial clothes washer with temperature control.
 
For specialty items like leather coats and skirts, or fine wool garments, those may require multiple cleanings with a professional dry cleaning company. If the dry cleaner decides that he cannot return the garment to a wearable condition, our team leader recommends disposing and replacing this item.
 
SERVPRO specialists also help you with your flood insurance. In each policy, there are items that the agency would rather replace than attempt to try and restore. With our experience in dealing with most major insurance carriers, specialists can help you immediately take care of these items, and then concentrate on items still covered for restoration.
 
At SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills, our goal is to help you return your home, property, and life back to their pre-flood condition as quickly as possible. When you need our services, or if you are still dealing with damage from the last flood, call us today at (818) 998-1500 for professional, restoration assistance.

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Stressing Air Quality Through Mold Remediation In Your West Hills Home

8/10/2018 (Permalink)

Mold spores exist in every environment that we encounter on a daily basis on a microscopic level.

Stressing Air Quality Through Mold Remediation

While most West Hills homeowners can appreciate the possibility of mold growth in their home, few realize just how likely the situation is. Mold spores exist in every environment that we encounter on a daily basis on a microscopic level. They are everywhere throughout the home and throughout other environments where we spend a great deal of time like our vehicles and workplace.

Understanding more about the widespread nature of mold spores in the environment can help a homeowner to appreciate just how close they always are to mold damages in their West Hills residence. Combating this omnipresent microbial force can seem daunting, especially when you discover an active mold colony growing in your home. That is where the mold remediation technicians at SERVPRO can help you.

Air quality should not just be a concern when you have active colonization in your home, but it is a dire priority for the remediation technicians looking to remove this colony and restore the damages. Preventing the spread of these spores to new areas can isolate the current problem. This isolation often occurs with the use of air scrubbers.

This equipment can trap active spores, dirt, contaminants, and bacteria present in the environment and prevent it from spreading around your home from the affected area. The machine allows our SERVPRO remediation technicians the ability to work exclusively in the damaged areas to effectively remove the present colony and remove any materials that became unsalvageably damaged.

While there is no way to remove the mold spores from your house entirely, we can temporarily prevent active spores from leaving the colony area and seating elsewhere in your home. With dehumidification and drying efforts, present mold spores naturally occurring in the environment do not have the appropriate conditions to colonize once remediation completes.

Preventing mold from growing in your home might not be something that everyone can do. With environmental changes that can happen rapidly, you might not realize there is a problem until the spread of the colony is out of control. Trust in the experience of our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills technicians to remove this threat and return your home to safer conditions. Give us a call today at (818) 998-1500.

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Water Damage in Your West Hills Hotel

7/22/2018 (Permalink)

Guests expect a great smelling room that is free of water damage. Contact SERVPRO if your hotel is facing damage after an incident.

SERVPRO Technicians Effectively Remediate Water Damage in Your Hotel

Running a hotel in West Hills is undoubtedly a lot of work. Not only is there fierce competition between various other overnight accommodations, but you also work to provide the best experience and amenities to your guests. The last thing that your business needs is a water incident that could pose a threat to different areas of your building, let alone a high traffic area frequented by guests.

Even a small-scale incident can cause much unrest among the guests that you have. As you strive to rent each room every night, reputation carries weight through online services and rating sites. This aspect is why taking care of commercial water damages in your West Hills hotel quickly is essential to keeping that reputation high.

Our SERVPRO team can help you to overcome this unfortunate occurrence efficiently and thoroughly, minimizing the impact on the guests in your business and helping to keep your operations running smoothly.

One of the first things that you have to consider in an incident like this is where the problem began. While our SERVPRO professionals can help isolate the literal source, you have to likely section off the affected areas (and any areas that could later become affected) until the restoration gets completed.

This approach might limit some of the amenities or available rooms that you have to offer, but does not stifle the flow of guests, either. Our technicians work quickly to extract any present water, to dry it completely, and to further assess the situation for lingering moisture that could cause greater concerns in the immediate future.

It is likely that your hotel has maintenance and custodial services, but professional restoration is much faster and more efficient overall. A single bad YELP review could throttle your business, so take the necessary steps to get the job done correctly.

If you have a water damage event in your hotel, you should not waste any time to get the problem resolved. Give our experienced SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills technicians a call today at (818) 998-1500.

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SERVPRO Offers Flood Damage Restoration In Canoga Park

7/9/2018 (Permalink)

Stormwater Removal for Canoga Park? Just Call SERVPRO

Canoga Park Storm Harm Is Mitigated with Fast Water Removal

Floods are a common occurrence in Canoga Park during the spring and summer months, which can make many homeowners nervous. Luckily, there are skilled and trained professionals nearby that can restore your home in the event of heavy rains or a rainstorm. Excess water in your residence can cause significant damage to the structure, which can make your property unsafe.

Our SERVPRO flood damage team in Canoga Park can handle the job. We are just a phone call away. Contacting us may help reduce damage to your residence and may help save many of your personal belongings such as your clothing, electronics, and widescreen televisions. Our techs may also be able to salvage the majority of your furniture and other items in the home.
 
You can depend on our crew to arrive at your residence promptly and to begin assessing the damage right away. Quickly removing the water from the affected areas is our priority during the restoration phase. The team may use several pieces of industrial equipment to eliminate water from the structure such as extractors, pumps, and vacuums. Extracting all moisture is vital because mold can grow. It is essential to prevent mold growth because it can cause health effects.
 
Once our expert SERVPRO team removes all standing water, the drying process begins. Typically, drying involves the use of air movers, axial fans, and dehumidification equipment. The effectiveness of this top-grade equipment helps speed up the drying stage and helps remove water from the affected areas quickly. The team may also use probes and moisture meters to check for hidden moisture under the flooring and inside the walls and baseboards. Also, our techs may use large drying mats to absorb moisture from the floors and carpet.
 
Floods can be stressful for homeowners to cope with in this region, which is why contacting trusted and experienced professionals can help relieve the tension. Our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills flood damage restoration can give you peace of mind. We are here to assist you. Call us anytime at (818) 998-1500.

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Cleaning And Drying Your West Hills Home Following Water Damages

7/5/2018 (Permalink)

Mistakes Lead to Water Damage Needing Cleanup and Restoration in West Hills, Call SERVPRO for Fast Help

Homes and Businesses in West Hills Benefit from Prompt SERVPRO Water Removal Services

Among all of the threats that your West Hills home faces from the outside, people often overlook the ease with which disasters can occur inside of their homes. While a common culprit for damages is often the appliances breaking down over time, another frequent contributor to the problem is user error. Something as simple as putting the plug into a bathroom sink and walking away while it runs, or not completely shutting your dishwasher door before you start a cycle can all lead to issues in your home that require immediate attention from trained professional restorers.
 
Regardless of what has caused the water damage in your West Hills residence, getting the problem solved quickly is something that is critical. Professional restoration is advisable here because inadequate cleaning techniques can leave moisture and dampness behind. These symptoms can further weaken structural components and allow for compounding damage such as microbial growth to occur in as little as 72 hours.
 
Our SERVPRO professionals understand that adequate cleaning and drying of the water damage is crucial, and that begins with understanding where the problem lies. Thermal imagery can determine the full scope of the moisture and dampness through flooring, ceilings, and inside of wall cavities. While larger spaces can usually get dried out thoroughly using only heavy-duty air movers and industrial grade dehumidification equipment, specialty tools can sometimes be a requirement for harder to reach areas.
 
Drying mats get placed by our SERVPRO technicians to penetrate beneath the first layer of flooring to help remove any lingering moisture underneath the surface picked up by thermal imagery. Carpeted areas that get affected by the water loss incident often require weighted extractors to force the water up from the fibers and padding underneath to better dry them out. The completion of the service must include no residual dampness to the underflooring or concrete pad.
 
While this is just a small subsection of the overall restoration process, it can give you an idea of the kind of dedication and service that you can expect from our team of professionals. Our SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills restoration specialists respond quickly and can help you to overcome any sized disaster that affects your home. Give us a call today at (818) 998-1500.

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An Overview Of The Major Forms Of Water Damage In West Hills

6/29/2018 (Permalink)

There are several sources of water which can lead to water damage in any home or business structure.

An Overview Of The Major Forms Of Water Damage

There are several sources of water which can lead to water damage in any home or business structure. The water intrusion event can be as a result of structural failures, natural disasters, broken appliances as well as broken water pipes. Though an incident like a burst water pipe may not look drastic at the start, it may cause substantial damage a few hours later if there is no one in your West Hills property to give it the attention it demands.

When our SERVPRO technicians are offering water damage restoration services to residents of West Hills, we look at the quantity of water on the structure and its source. The amount of water helps us to devise an efficient water removal method to ensure we dry your property within the shortest time possible. Dependent on the situation, we can use pumps, portable or truck-mounted water extractors to remove any standing water physically.

The source of the water can make us categorize the damage into three categories - black water, gray water, and clean water damage. Clean water comes from burst pipes, faulty appliances and all appliances which carry treated water. Sources of water that is yet to be used such as rain and snow water from damaged roofs also fall under this category. When carpets and pads come into contact with this type of water, restoring them is possible.

Although gray water contains waste products, it does not have human waste. Water overflowing from a toilet and a washing machine without any solid matter is usually under this category. When carpets and pads get into contact with this type of water, our SERVPRO technicians typically recommend a replacement. Black water carries all sorts of debris and is mainly unsanitary water. Burst sewage backups and flood waters are under this category, and we use extensive personal protective equipment (PPE) when cleaning this category of water. It is not possible to restore carpets and pads exposed to this type of water.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills has well-trained restoration technicians who work around the clock to address all types of water, fire, mold, and storm damage disaster. Call us at (818) 998-1500 and get industry proven services from our reliable team.

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Fire Damage Experts In Bell Canyon Discuss Problems With HVAC Systems

6/18/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Provides the Resources to Purge Home HVAC Systems from Smoke, Soot, and Odors After a Fire in Bell Canyon

Migrating Smoke, Soot, and Odors within Ventilation Systems Typically Need Cleaning and Restoring

Whenever a fire burns inside a Bell Canyon building, heat and smoke can both cause extensive damage. Once a blaze ignites, it burns materials as fuel starting from the source until the flames get extinguished. As the fire spreads, solids turn to gas or combust at different rates. Partially combusted materials disperse throughout the structure in the form of smoke and soot particles.
 
Smoke can penetrate items making them produce pungent odors, whereas soot residues can adhere to surfaces and ruin the finish on an object. During fire damage mitigation in Bell Canyon, cleaning and removing soot is essential to make the home odor-free and to save items from being discarded. Before work begins, our SERVPRO technicians inspect any building materials and contents that may have been affected by smoke. Once all affected areas inside the house are found, we choose the proper cleaning method for the specific type of soot present.
 
One structural component that gets inspected after any burn damage takes place is the building's heating ventilation and air conditioning or HVAC system. If soot particles get inside the ventilation system, then it is possible that residues can travel through the home's vents and affect areas far away from the fire's source. During any restoration project where smoke was present, our SERVPRO technicians inspect the ductwork to see if residues exist. If there are soot residues present inside the ductwork, then the HVAC system may require cleaning.
 
When cleaning HVAC systems, we start by removing and cleaning all vent registers and air intakes. Then, we wipe all accessible surfaces on the inside of the ducting with specialized soot removal chemicals. Next, we vacuum out the inside of the ducting to remove any soot or dust particles. If problems are severe enough, our SERVPRO restoration crew can clean the ducts with an ultra-low volume fogging system.
 
When using a ULV fogger, the idea is to recreate the way that smoke got into the HVAC system in the first place. The machine gets filled with duct sealing and deodorization chemicals that get fogged into the building's vents. If you ever need help with smoke-related issues, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 any time of the day.

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Mitigating Commercial Fire Damage in a West Hills Movie Theater

6/10/2018 (Permalink)

West Hills Commercial Properties Like Movie Theaters Rely on SERVPRO for Fire & Smoke Damage Cleanup and Restoration

SERVPRO Strives to Cleanup and Restore Commercial Buildings After Fire & Smoke Damaging Events

Many people love watching movies at home, but a trip out to see the latest release with the family or friends rates very high on many people's list of fun things to do around West Hills. Fire regulations forbid smoking, but offenders still do break the rules. When this happens, avoiding getting caught often trumps putting a cigarette out safely.

If a West Hills theater suffers commercial fire damage because of a smoker, the costs to repair everything "Like it never even happened" can become a major setback. At SERVPRO, we work with your insurance company to help make sure that all damaged areas receive the attention necessary while keeping costs as low as possible for you, the customer.
 
Fire damage can easily affect any area of your business, including food products, carpeting, seating, walls, doors and entryways, and anything else. Water from firefighters can also cause problems, and we are ready to help you deal with this effectively. Smoke odors caused by soot can continue to pose severe problems for patrons far into the future if not treated properly.
 
Certified by the IICRC, SERVPRO technicians easily and quickly remove damaged sections of materials in small pieces so they can fit into double bags, making for easier removal. We bring in replacement materials after we finish all of the other work. This prevents moisture from extinguishing the fire from affecting it and also keeps it safely out of the way while we work.
 
Both moisture in the air and odor-causing particles can easily stay there unless removed. This is why we use our air scrubbing machinery. Even with wiping every surface down to remove soot, the odor can still bother people. High levels of humidity not only make these odors ore noticeable, but they also make it easier for mold and mildew to begin growing. These microbes can grow almost anywhere, including under seats and also between them, and anywhere else inside your theater. There is also the concern of patrons tracking mold spores home with them.
 
When odor remains, we can use ozone treatments, or thermal fogging. Both can rigorously decrease the amount of odor experienced, with thermal fogging being the more effective of the two choices in most situations. Thermal fogging techniques mimic the pathways that the smoke followed much more than ozone methods do, making it more reliable. Hydroxyl generators can also be very effective devices to neutralize malordous particlulates. Indoor air quality of a high level is a crucial aspect of the overall treatment.
 
SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills' employees love watching movies, much like everyone else, and wants to help ensure that your movie theater or other workplace remains a safe place for families to enjoy some time together. Call us at (818) 998-1500 for help.

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SERVPRO Provides Safe and Low-Profile Water Removal for Schools in Canoga Park

6/1/2018 (Permalink)

Rely on SERVPRO to assist with water damages found in schools

How SERVPRO can help remove water damage from schools

To avoid interruptions to administrative and classroom functions, water removal from schools in Canoga Park must be done quickly and with minimal impact on day-to-day operations. Furthermore, a delay in treatment can create safety hazards such as mold growth that may force students out of entire sections of the campus to temporarily crowd into other buildings or possibly even a different school. Through decades of servicing communities nationwide, SERVPRO has cultivated an understanding of how vital fast and low-profile water removal is in public places and has developed a versatile, ironclad plan to handle any situation.

Keeping Classrooms Safe
Both legal and social expectations for schools in Canoga Park require water removal to be prompt and effective. Providing a safe and problem-free environment for children to learn should be a top priority, and rather than allowing facilities to remain unfixed and unused, most parents and community members expect the school to do whatever it can to reopen classrooms and amenities quickly. SERVPRO keeps costs down and work times short while still making sure to remove any and all water from the area, preventing long-term issues and mold damage from arising after we depart.

Operating With a Minimal Profile
Our technicians take care to avoid creating significant obstacles and impediments to students during their work, remaining in as small of an area as possible and avoiding practices that disrupt classroom learning when they can. Our focus is on mitigating as much hassle and trouble for your staff and students as possible, even if it means taking on extra work for our personnel.

Working Within Regulations
Different regulations may exist for education centers in different communities, districts, and even grades within a single campus. Our well-trained and experienced staff have proven themselves to be adept at handling even the most difficult and confusing regulatory constraints possible, eliminating hassle and headache should one of them be violated.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills provides fast and professional damage restoration services to private and public properties in the area. Call us at (818) 998-1500 to learn more about how we can help.

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The Right Restoration Team For Your Canoga Park Flood Damage

5/17/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is always ready to help you overcome the widespread damage that flooding can often present.

The Right Restoration Team For Your Flood Damage

Homeowners in Canoga Park seemingly always have a natural disaster to keep in the back of their mind that could threaten the structural integrity or stability of their homes. As stressful as this might seem, many homes get prepared structurally for these occurrences as much as possible, though some (like flooding) can only show you the vulnerable areas of your house once the damage has found its way inside already.

While many homeowners are not ready for the flood damage that could threaten their Canoga Park homes, having the right team of professional restorers can help you to overcome any disaster that your home could potentially face. SERVPRO is always ready to help you overcome the widespread damage that flooding can often present.

From the moment that our crew arrives at your home, we begin with an initial assessment both of the damage that we need to restore and secondly the source of the present water through the affected areas. Determining the vulnerable areas and penetration points in your home's exterior can allow our experienced technicians an opportunity to seal up these areas if the compromised area does not require demolition and reconstruction to repair.

Extraction plays a critical role in allowing our team the access to dry up the damage and determine if materials and surfaces require removal and replacement to complete the restoration project. Drying typically uses air movers and dehumidification equipment to achieve. Flooding can often cause deep penetration of water damage to flooring and in between walls. Where this damage gets discovered, our SERVPRO professionals can use large drying mats and the injectidry system respectively to handle these specific issues.

Finding yourself at the mercy of floodwaters is a stressful circumstance. Fortunately with the right experienced professionals at your side, like the kind of technicians at SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills, you do not have to face this challenge alone. Give our experienced restoration specialists a call anytime that you might need us at (818) 998-1500.

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Musty and Foul Odors Are Often a Hint of Mold Damage in Your Winnetka Home

5/4/2018 (Permalink)

A musty odor can often be the first sign of mold damage in your home, if you think you are dealing with mold damage call SERVPRO to remediate.

SERVPRO Can Quickly and Thoroughly Remediate Mold Damage Found in Your Home

Mold damage can become a real issue when it goes unchecked for extended periods of time. However, mold growth is not always visible at first. For example, a roof that is on its last leg may leak rainwater into your attic. Over time, this water can lead to mold growth, as mold spores thrive in a moist environment. If you do not enter your attic regularly, it is easy to be ignorant of the problem. In these situations, it is not too late to call for professional help.

A musty odor can often be one of the first significant signs of mold damage in your Winnetka home. Mold spores are omnipresent; there is no way to truly rid your home of them. However, they are harmless until they come in contact with moisture. As a mold colony feeds on moisture, it grows and has the potential to cause rot to the structure of your home and health effects.

One of the first things SERVPRO can do when our employees arrive at your home is put up a barrier to keep the mold spores from spreading when we start the remediation process. Mold can be tackled by our SERVPRO techs through cleaning, antifungal agents, and disinfectants.

SERVPRO can handle the odor of mold through the use of advanced industrial tools. Our techs can use air scrubbers to get the odor out of the air that first alerted you to the mold in your home. Air scrubbers utilize HEPA filters to trap and contain spores, effectively neutralizing the particles that caused the foul smells in the first place. Another tool our team can use in these situations is a thermal fogger, which can dissipate the spores and eliminate the malodourous particles.

If you smell mold in your home, do not wait. Reach out to SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500. Whatever the time, we can send our technicians to your home as soon as possible.

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Why Professional Restoration Is Beneficial For Your West Hills Water Damage

4/24/2018 (Permalink)

Even with the diligence that you show to most of the fixtures and appliances of your West Hills home, circumstances could still lead to water damages.

The Benefits Of Professional Restoration

As a West Hills homeowner, you are likely continually trying to remain vigilant to ward off any unfortunate circumstances that could befall your home and ultimately cost you money or require time-consuming repairs or restoration. While there are many ways that your preventative and precautionary efforts are a benefit, there are some events (like water emergencies) that cannot get avoided entirely.

Even with the diligence that you show to most of the fixtures and appliances of your West Hills home, circumstances could still lead to water damages. While the most common of these might be defective appliances and plumbing concerns, the list is quite extensive overall. Regardless of the reason that your home experiences the water damage, there are several reasons why professional restoration is the wise choice for cleaning up the mess.

One of the reasons that you should consider the kind of restoration that our SERVPRO professionals can provide for this unfortunate occurrence is our commitment to your home. From the moment that our team arrives, we set out to get the full scope of the damage that you face from the present water damage, even utilizing specialized equipment like thermal imagery to determine the farthest reaches of the water.

Another consideration that you should be thinking of when it comes to opting to clean up your water damage situation yourself is the risk involved with doing an inadequate job. With moisture allowed underneath floors and inside of walls that did not get dried as it should have, your home is now meeting all of the necessary conditions for mold and fungal growth. This disaster is a separate variety of damage that can prove difficult and costly to remove.

While these are only a couple of the reasons why you should consider SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills to help you clean up your water damages, they are serious considerations that you need to make. For the sake of the home that you work hard to maintain, trust in our certified restoration specialists to help you through every step of restoring your home. Give us a call today at (818) 998-1500.

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Caring for Your Home's Appliances After Fire Damage Happens in Your West Hills Property

4/20/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO uses special cleaning agents to restore your appliances after fire damage.

SERVPRO Restores Your Home and Belongings after Fire Damage

Like other families in West Hills, yours relies on the appliances found throughout your home to make their lives more pleasant. During a fire, these expensive items can become covered in soot and grime. These surfaces, made from highly durable materials, can still become marred and dulled if soot remains on them too long.

West Hills properties that sustain fire damage often exhibit signs of such damage everywhere in the home. Appliances can seem much worse until we clean them. Using special cleaning agents, we clean the soot and other residues from their surfaces. Immediately after, we rinse them to remove any remaining chemicals. The same chemicals that revealed the sheen of your appliances can eventually mar them with pitting and etching if allowed to remain without rinsing or wiping away from the surface.

Before cleaning the surfaces, we unplug every unit to prevent electrical shock. Our IICRC certified technicians also clean the cords, and check for cracks, melted areas, or other situations, making a note of any defects. We partner with qualified electronics and appliance repair technicians who can inspect your appliances before we plug them back into the electrical socket. We need to know for insurance purposes which items remain working and which ones require replacements. We keep written records of these to aid you in your claims-making process.

Appliances can include smaller items, such as food processors, coffee makers, and sewing machines. Computers often require extensive repair work after a fire just because of the heat. We recommend waiting for an electronic repair technician or specialist to examine your computer and other sensitive electronic equipment before attempting to use them. Soot can enter into these items and cause extensive damage. Many times, fires cause the electricity in the home to fail, which can turn off such items, preserving them and protecting them from soot by turning off their fans. Turning them on too soon can cause serious problems.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills wants to help you restore every aspect of your home after a fire to help make everything "Like it never even happened." Calling our local number, (818) 998-1500, starts the process of repairing your home, down to the appliances that helped make your house a home for your family. Fire damage and other disasters can take a heavy toll on a family, but we are here to help out when you need us the most.

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Fighting Mold Damage In Your West Hills House

4/4/2018 (Permalink)

Mold Spores in West Hills Can Lead to Mold Damage--Call SERVPRO for Cleanup and Remediation

SERVPRO Possesses the Tools, Equipment, and Skilled Technicians for Mold Remediation

High humidity is a common condition to contend with for your West Hills home at certain times of the year. While this can make your time outside muggy and moist, it also can cause a lot of dampness and moisture in your home as well. Even with a controlled temperature from appliances like your air conditioner, excessive condensation is a typical result of treating highly humid, hot air in the environment.

While this might not initially seem like that big of a deal, dampness and moisture in your house assuredly is something worth your concern. In a short time, dampness in the air combining with warmer temperatures can activate spores in the air and cracks and crevices and form colonies of mold. Given the links between the presence of fungal growth and health effects for those exposed to it, the discovery of mold damage in your West Hills home should be dealt with as expediently as possible.

Our SERVPRO team gets uniquely trained to restore and remediate all varieties of mold and fungus using the latest equipment and strategies proven effective. Each of our specialists gets certified to the high standards of restoration set in place by the IICRC. This fact makes us an excellent choice to handle the current mold damage that you are facing in your home and the most efficient option for bringing your home back to its former condition.

From the moment that our SERVPRO specialists arrive at your home, we set up immediately to block off the area where mold is actively growing and thriving. When it comes time to sand or scrape these places or remove portions of materials for later reconstruction, negative air chambers, and air scrubbers (with HEPA filters) help prevent the spread of active spores to new areas of your home.

Drying the area is a crucial element to combat the current mold growth, and to keep this disaster from reoccurring. This result gets achieved through the use of air movers and large dehumidification equipment. In situations where the source of the moisture is difficult to discern, continuing dehumidification on your own may get advised.

Finding mold in your home is a cause to spring to action. You do not want to let the organism continue to spread and damage the structural integrity of your home or any of its contents. Trust the IICRC certified mold remediation specialists at SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills to help you set things right again. We can be reached anytime by calling (818) 998-1500.

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It is Important to Resolve Water Damage to Your Canoga Park Restaurant Quickly

3/28/2018 (Permalink)

Water damage in any part of your commercial kitchen needs to be dealt with right away before it helps feed mold. Contact SERVPRO for remediation.

Team SERVPRO Uses Modern Equipment to Help Detect the Presence of Water in Your Commercial Space

Your restaurant in Canoga Park focuses heavily on the food that you provide to your customers, but also in providing a quality, memorable experience for every patron that comes through your door. When something like a water emergency threatens the entirety of your businesses from the food making to serving your customers, you do not have a second to lose. Professional restoration services can get your doors back open quickly, or in some cases, work around your staff to allow your restaurant to stay functional while restoration efforts are underway.
 
Fighting off commercial water damage in your Canoga Park restaurant might seem like something that you should attempt to do alone. If you can suppress the initial appearance of the water issue, your doors can stay open.

Unfortunately, with water damages, it is often the areas that you cannot see that provide some of the most detrimental lingering effects. Contacting our professional restoration specialists at SERVPRO can help you to get the problem resolved completely, leaving no traces of the damage to develop into something worse over time.
 
From the moment that our experienced technicians arrive at your restaurant, our priority is to understand better the full scope of the damage you face. Through the use of both thorough visual inspections as well as thermal imagery technology, our team can assess the accessible areas and view inside of walls and under flooring to see the farthest reaches of the damage. This process aids our specialists in determining what equipment is necessary to complete the job at hand.
 
While you never want to have to close your doors to the public, as this is the lifeblood of the restaurant that you run, this might be a necessity to more expediently clean up the mess you face. The longer that you put off this need, the more time things like mold growth have a chance to develop. This issue would undoubtedly close your doors for a much longer time.
 
When your restaurant gets impacted by a water emergency of any size, you can always trust in SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills to help you clean up the mess and set things right again. Our emergency response team is available 24/7 by calling (818) 998-1500.

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Helpful Flood Damage Technicians In Bell Canyon

3/20/2018 (Permalink)

If it pours down enough in a short period, flooding sometimes occurs.

Flood Damage Technicians

During the spring and summer seasons, sometimes excessive rains take place in Bell Canyon. If it pours down enough in a short period, flooding sometimes occurs. If your neighborhood gets flooded out by a severe rainstorm, the first place water seems to flow is inside your house.

Often during a flood, water flows directly into your basement first. SERVPRO's flood damage crew in Bell Canyon has experience in mitigating issues in your basement. Water entering your basement from the outside possibly has a high contamination level and ruins contents and building materials inside your home.

Water issues inside basements are different because the water comes from the ceiling and flows downward. Our SERVPRO technicians inspect damage inside the basement starting with the source which is located somewhere near the ceiling. Depending on how long water flows into the basement, other materials including drywall, carpet, and contents possibly get damaged as well as ceiling materials.

Any standing water gets immediately extracted using our extraction equipment. We then use specialized extensions to vacuum water out of carpet and furniture. After all water possible gets extracted, we test the air and surrounding building materials for moisture content.

Temperature and moisture readings get used to design a plan for drying your home. Air movers get used to accelerate the evaporation rate inside your dwelling. Dehumidifiers pull moisture out of the air and pump out hot, dry air that gets used by the air movers.

Sometimes, specialized drying equipment gets used to dry certain building materials or contents. Often ceilings and walls get dried out using injection drying equipment. When using injection drying, we drill holes every six to twelve inches in the ceiling and walls that have a high moisture content. Tubes coming from an air pump forces air into wall and ceiling cavities. Airflow inside walls and ceilings help dry out the drywall, studs, and floors joists above the basement ceiling.

Drying equipment usually stays in your basement until moisture levels get returned to preloss conditions. After your neighborhood gets flooded, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for professional assistance anytime.

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Notify the Experts of West Hills after Fire Damages Your Home

3/9/2018 (Permalink)

A fire in your kitchen can leave behind different types of soot deposits and smoke damage requiring specific cleaning techniques.

SERVPRO Fire Damage Experts Can Properly Clean the Different Types of Damage in Your Home

It is always a frightening situation when a fire starts in your West Hills kitchen. The first step is to make sure your family and your pets get out of harm's way. Next, the fire usually gets extinguished by either you or the fire department in extreme situations.

Now it is time for you to assess the damage the blaze caused to your home. At this point, it is a good idea to call in SERVPRO's fire damage specialists of West Hills. Sometimes damage caused by a fire is not as apparent as you may think.

Our technicians are IICRC certified and have years of experience repairing damage caused by heat, flames, and smoke. Our crews study the theory of fire and make themselves experts in fire behavior. We know how a fire inside a structure acts, giving us the ability to find all of the damaged areas.

After a blaze, two different types of damage are found inside burnt buildings; burning or charring and soot deposits. Sometimes building and structural materials get charred or burned. In this case, the materials get sanded down and treated or replaced.

Heat from the flames sometimes partially burns items and causes soot. Other times smoke from the blaze leaves soot deposits in areas of the home other than the source. After a burn, there are a few different types of smoke residues that get left behind on surfaces throughout your home.

Usually, smoke gets classified as being either wet or dry. Dry smoke comes from fast burning, hot blazes that burn natural materials. Wet smoke gets generated from cooler, slow-burning fires that burn synthetic materials such as rubber or plastic.

When a fire starts in your kitchen, most times, some food is the fuel source. When food burns, yellow or amber-colored protein soot residues remain. When the burn is related to an oil burner, fuel oil soot exists.

Each type of soot takes a different process to clean and remediate the problem. When dealing with cleaning soot residues, it is smart to call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for help 24/7.

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Why Water Damage Incidents in Winnetka Should Be Taken Seriously

2/27/2018 (Permalink)

Don't Let Water Damaging Mishaps Ruin Your Beautiful Winnetka Home--Quickly Call SERVPRO

Secondary Harm from Water Intrusion without Rapid Removal Can Greatly Increase Costs and Disruptions to Homeowners in the Winnetka Area

Though there are many things to take into consideration during a water damage incident, drying the wet materials and areas is usually the primary goal. The remediation process should follow some controlled conditions and standard precautions. That is why you need to work with professionals when restoring your Winnetka property.

Whether a hazard exists after a water damage incident in your Winnetka home, it is always crucial to assume it does, unless a professional proves otherwise. That is why our SERVPRO technicians wear appropriate eye protection gear, disposable coveralls, gloves, and boots. We also secure the area to prevent the possibility of contaminants spreading to the surrounding clean areas. One of the ways we use to achieve that is by applying negative air pressure, whereby we set up axial fans so that the air flows to the areas under remediation from the surrounding clean areas.
 
Another factor our SERVPRO team looks at is the water quality in your property - it can be black, clean or gray. Irrespective of the category of water on your property, there is a risk of fungi and bacteria proliferation taking place. In most cases, it is the porous materials that are likely to suffer microbial contamination. That is why we advise you to allow the remediation process to start as soon as possible to increase chances of salvaging your textiles, carpets, insulation, wallboard and ceiling tiles. It is not always possible to salvage most porous materials such as wet ceiling tiles, so we dispose of them as soon as possible.
 
SERVPRO IICRC certified WRT technicians also tackle the problem of excess humidity and moisture by setting up air movers to sweep moisture from hard surfaces into the air where they are captured by dehumidifiers, usually of the chemical variety using silicone as the absorbent.
 
SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills works around the clock to respond to all mold, storm, fire and water damage disasters or minor inconveniences. Call us at (818) 998-1500 when you need an industry leader to restore your property.

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Expertly Trained Fire Damage Technicians Offer Quality Services in Winnetka

2/6/2018 (Permalink)

Regardless of the level of fire damage your home experienced, contact SERVPRO for remediation services for great results.

SERVPRO Technicians Put Together a Unique Plan to Remediate Damage After a Fire in Your Home

Different kinds of damage can occur as the structure or contents of your Winnetka property burns. Starting with the partial or complete destruction of those consumed during the combustion process. However, secondary damage develops from the heat and smoke residues, profoundly impacting materials found throughout your home.

Every fire is different, requiring the deployment of unique restoration procedures to limit a variety of losses you might experience from fire damage in your Winnetka area home. Water or other extinguishing agents used to fight the fire in your home can cause more damage while other materials suffer burning or charring, depending on their proximity to the flames.

An expertly trained IICRC technician, like those offered at SERVPRO, can assess fire damage found on your property to provide you with a detailed plan to address the level of each item of loss. We help you understand the type of restoration services required to restore your home successfully and provide you with full-scale solutions that return your home to a quality pre-fire damage condition.

At SERVPRO, we describe fire damage of three levels – Minor, Medium, and Major. The materials, size, duration, and type of fire affecting your home change how our technicians approach the situation. However, some basic rules of thumb remain the same, allowing us the opportunity to prepare for the overall process beforehand, and provide you with fast, efficient services 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

• Minor Fire Damage – The amount of smoke residue is light to moderate, only affecting specific rooms or areas.
• Medium Fire Damage – The amount of smoke residue is moderate, and more materials require wet cleaning, repainting, or replacement.
• Major Fire Damage – Heat from the fire caused severe damage to structural framing and finishes, leaving charring, staining, and additional scoring throughout.

Depending on the situation, SERVPRO technicians can deploy both dry and wet cleaning methods to your ceilings, walls, floors, and other contents. Your floors may need refinishing, drywall, cabinets, and contents require additional replacement while most instances require deodorization procedures after cleaning.

Contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills for a full explanation of our available cleaning and restoration services, or to request an initial inspection of your home, today. (818) 998-1500

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Saving Your Winnetka Retail Store From Water Damage

1/22/2018 (Permalink)

Time is money in the retail industry, and the longer that your doors stay closed, the more profits you stand to lose.

Water Damage To Your Retail Store

Your Winnetka retail store depends significantly on the foot traffic that you can get through the door every day and customers that you can depend on to come back and shop again. While you might have all of the pieces in place to pull in customers and retain loyalty in others, an unforeseen water emergency might derail your efforts entirely if it is not dealt with quickly. Time is money in the retail industry, and the longer that your doors stay closed to those willing to spend their money, the more profits you stand to lose.

Water damage to your Winnetka store can rear its ugly head in some different ways from faulty plumbing to over-pressurized sprinkler pipes. In some cases, nearby stores might cause water damage to their facility as well as yours through shared walls. Whatever the case, professional assistance is what you need to get the damage restored and your business ready for the customers that it needs to stay in the black.

Our SERVPRO professionals can appreciate the time constraints that you are under to keep your business running smoothly. Not only are you pressed to reopen your doors in the event of water damage to some regions of the store, but there is also a significant pressing risk of damage to your stock and supply of the goods you are trying to sell. Our team can work quickly to ensure that the least amount of damage occurs and use our expertise and equipment towards restoring that damage as efficiently as possible.

Drying efforts are a combined effort between air movers and spot water extraction with wet vacs. Our team uses thermal imagery to assess further damage inside of the walls where the source of the problem might have been to ensure that the water is thoroughly dried. If the drywall has been compromised through this incident, or in the restoration and repair efforts, our experienced SERVPRO experts have the tools and experience to repair this as well.

Ultimately, your store depends on its doors being open to the public. While you cannot account for water emergencies that might affect your business, you can always count on SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills to help you put things right again. You can reach our emergency response team 24/7 at (818) 998-1500.

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Finding Mold Damage In Your Winnetka Home

1/4/2018 (Permalink)

Mold Remediation by SERVPRO Ensures Happiness for Winnetka Homeowners

Remediation of Mold Needed? Call SERVPRO

Southern California is known for some excessive humidity all year long, but what you might not realize is how this same common weather occurrence could be dramatically impacting your Winnetka home. Without proper maintenance of the moisture that is present in your home, coupled with mold spores that naturally exist in the air that we breathe, the conditions have been met for mold to start growing in your home.

Mold damage to your Winnetka home might not seem like that big of a deal, as many people have encountered that familiar musty odor and sight of spotty mold all throughout their lives. The more that gets understood about the fungus, and its relative health effects that it can cause families who become exposed to it, the more critical it is to get the situation resolved quickly.
 
Handling this situation on your own is not advisable, as your efforts to remove the mold colonies will very likely not remove the entire hyphae of the fungus and you can be circulating more spores in the process. Our SERVPRO remediation specialists are trained and certified to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards.
 
This extensive training familiarizes our antimicrobial remediation specialists in the various types of mold that exist, the proper protective equipment to use, and ultimately the process for completely removing mold colonies and preventing further spread of the colonies. With the use of HEPA filters and negative air chambers, spores in the air become neutralized throughout the remediation process. Scrubbers get employed to deep clean areas where colonies have been detected to eradicate the entire fungal organism.
 
Dehumidification is an integral part of the process and one that ensures that the conditions are no longer adequate to support growth. The removal of moisture from the air is something that the homeowner gets encouraged to continue after the remediation process is complete, to deter any future conditions which could be suitable for mold to grow again.
 
If you have encountered a musty smell in your home, or spotted mold growing on surfaces, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills. Our experienced IICRC certified remediation specialists have the expertise and equipment to handle the issue. Give us a call anytime at (818) 998-1500.

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Crimped Cords And Electrical Shorts Can Lead To Fire Damage In West Hills

12/22/2017 (Permalink)

Fires can originate anywhere and at any time in your home.

Fire Caused By Crimped Cords And Electrical Shorts

Electricity plays such a significant role in our daily lives, including leisurely activities at home and using different machines at work and school. Without electricity to run these items for us, West Hills would not feel the same to us. However, we take the use of these powered items for granted and rarely think about the dangers of electrical power.

When using items like curling irons, computer printers, or the dishwasher in your West Hills home, the idea that those items could cause fire damage probably crosses your mind only on rare occasions. However, using these items when cords show visible damage can quickly cause problems.

Another aspect of electricity that causes problems is when cords become twisted and tangled while stored away in a drawer. Tangling like this can produce breaks in the wiring inside. While it may seem to work fine at providing electricity to your appliance, these minor breaks can soon become hotter than usual. Melted cords can pose shock hazards in addition to the fire hazard they create.

Electrical shorts inside appliances and within wall outlets can create fires. You should never try to extinguish this type of fire by using water as the electricity can travel to you and cause serious injuries. If an appliance begins smoking, melting, or burning, unplugging it by firmly grasping the plug and removing it from the wall can save your home.

If an outlet starts to smoke and produces flames, you need to shut off the main electrical breaker as quickly as possible. This should extinguish the fire, but if materials inside the wall have caught fire, it might continue burning. This situation requires a call to the local fire department. Making sure your cords can also bear the electrical load pulled can help prevent this situation in the first place.

Fires can originate anywhere and at any time in your home. Fire damage should always receive professional mitigation, so future fire risks decrease. SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills can help you restore your home after any fire. Contact us at (818) 998-1500 to reach our 24-hour service, every day of the year.

Visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Hills,_Los_Angeles for more about West Hills.

Commercial Water Damage Can Affect Spas and Gyms in Canoga Park

12/7/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can remediate water damage while keeping your gym, spa, or fitness center open and running.

SERVPRO Provides Quick and Efficient Water Damage Restoration Services

Many people in Canoga Park have developed an interest in staying fit by increasing the amount of exercise they engage in while still pampering themselves. A spa and gym membership fills this need for many individuals, while also providing real-time socialization with others.

The management of spas, gyms, and other fitness centers in Canoga Park understand that showering, spa treatments, and swimming can cause commercial water damage to their facilities. All pose problems by causing ongoing moisture accumulation, and efforts at dehumidification might not always provide the desired results. The results achieved can also vary considerably.

This inability to maintain a stable level of humidity inside your facility is a common complaint of similar businesses. High amounts of moisture that remain in the air can produce dampness, chilly air, and different types of water damage. SERVPRO can help you avoid the effects of water damage in your building from becoming harmful and unsightly.

Paint on concrete walls can begin peeling and flaking from exposure to high levels of moisture. Metal equipment can corrode or rust. Shower stalls can develop mold and mildew. Exercise pads can retain smells and odors, as can carpeting and larger rugs. Foam composites such as some indoor tracks begin to deteriorate when exposed to moisture.

Our professional technicians can solve all of these situations, and many others, quickly and efficiently. We are trained to work in areas where our customers' clients conduct their activities and to refrain from impeding their actions. We only want to resolve the problem of water damage through remediation without disturbing anyone present. We know your business depends on your clients' enjoyment and use of your facility and we do not want to jeopardize that in any manner.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is your locally owned and operated restoration company, and we are here for your business. We want you to succeed, and keeping water damage under control helps us achieve our goals. Call us at (818) 998-1500 to talk to us about our 24-hour service.

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What To Do And Avoid When Dealing With Mold Damage In Winnetka Homes

11/2/2017 (Permalink)

Mold Develops in Winnetka, Remediate with SERVPRO, Not Bleach

Professional Mold Remediation is the Answer to Secure Your Property

There are many things to check, repair, and keep in shape when you are a homeowner. Caring for your Winnetka home is very satisfying, and naturally you want to deal with any problems as soon as they arise, to keep your home safe and pleasant for you and your family. One problem that most householders face at some point is fungal growth. Mold damage is usually easy to spot thanks to the tell-tale black and green patches and musty smell. What is not always easy is knowing what to do when you find it. Thankfully, SERVPRO is here to help.
 
We understand that you do not want mold damage in your Winnetka home, and so of course if you spot the fungus you want to get rid of it straight away. That is why we have put together this handy short list of what to do and what to avoid when you see signs of fungus in your house.
 
Do not use a fan in mold-infested areas. We have heard rumors of people using fans to try and disperse mold, and it is enough to give any remediation expert nightmares! Fans blow the microscopic mold spores into the air and make it easier for them to travel and start new colonies.
 
Do no use bleach or other chemicals. Sometimes using bleach or other chemicals makes the problem worse – it is far better to talk to a remediation expert. The water in the bleach can feed the colonies with fresh moisture. The hyphae (roots) of mold are typically not affected by the disinfecting qualities of bleach.
 
Do not focus on killing the mold. It is challenging to exterminate fungus; in most cases, it merely goes dormant and can “wake up” again when conditions are right.
 
So what should you do? The best thing is to call SERVPRO. Professional mold remediation is more efficient than DIY efforts. Experts believe that mold may have some health effects. We equip our IICRC-certified experts with protective clothing and respirators so they can handle fungal growth safely. We have the equipment needed to set up containment and vent contaminated air, which is much more efficient than merely wiping.
 
For help with mold problems in Winnetka, Bell Canyon, West Hills and surrounding areas, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 today.

More info about this area here.

Water Damage from Ceiling Leaks in Your Canoga Park Home

9/11/2017 (Permalink)

Ignoring water stains on ceiling or walls will not make them go away. In fact, that allows mold to grow and creates more problems. Call SERVPRO.

Our Technicians Use Tools and Their Vast Experience to Locate the Source of Water Damage in Your Home

Often, but not always, ceiling water leaks are caused by a leak in the roof of your home. Other things which can cause leaks in ceilings in Canoga Park include a leaky skylight, a plumbing problem, a siding leak, a window leak or a masonry leak.
 
A leak in your ceiling is an issue for a lot of reasons. The water damage in your Canoga Park home can be severe, and be found not just on your ceiling, but your roof, too, by the time you notice an existing leak. Roof damage can be dangerous and can be costly to repair. Plus, a significant amount of mold can grow in between your roof and ceiling or your attic and can create numerous health effects for you and your family. Once mold starts growing, you might have to replace drywall, insulation, ceiling tiles and other materials.
 
Our trained staff at SERVPRO can assist you if you have water damage in your home from a leaky ceiling. If mold is present, we also know how to clean that and sanitize the area.
 
Finding a leak in your roof can be difficult, and does not always become apparent until it has gotten worse. Therefore, you should investigate and address any sign of a leak as soon as you see it. Some indications of a leaky roof to look out for are discolored spots on your ceiling, water stains, mildew, or mold around the base of your chimney, rotting wood or peeling paint around skylights, shingles or other pieces of debris from your roof in the yard. You may also notice a musty smell, especially in your attic, that frequently occurs when your roof is leaking.
 
If you suspect you have a leak in your roof or ceiling, or possibly have mold growing in your attic, call us at SERVPRO right away so we can inspect your home for water damage and mold. We have all the needed tools and experience to find the source of the leak, fix it and find any mold if it is present.
 
SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills work quickly to fix any ceiling leak to prevent further damage to homes located in the West Hills and Canoga Park areas. Do not hesitate to give us a call at (818) 998-1500 when you find a problem, as the damage only gets worse the longer you wait.

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Mitigating Fire Damage In Your Canoga Park Area Home

8/31/2017 (Permalink)

Fire Prevention and Mitigation in Canoga Park with the Aid of SERVPRO's ERP

SERVPRO's ERP Plan Reduces Damages and Cost with a Fast Service

Every home is susceptible to fire damage, regardless of its location. Accidents occur on a regular basis that makes having a pre-existing relationship with a trusted restoration team an absolute must for the majority of homeowners in the Canoga area.

There are a variety of mistakes you can make after experiencing fire damage on your Canoga Park area property that leads to additional damages, or injury. Before re-entering your home after a fire occurs, contact your local SERVPRO for help. We can advise you avoid hazards that may exist and enter your home properly to reduce secondary damages that develop from how someone might handle particular types of materials.

We understand how precious your home is and make every effort to limit the losses you experience. SERVPRO technicians utilize a restore versus replacement attitude throughout the restoration process, treating each of your contents with care, and using a variety of methods to recover many items you might consider destroyed during the event.

There are a variety of methods available that help you obtain assistance after a disaster occurs on your property. You can notify our office directly, providing information about the scope of the problem, or you can take advantage of our Emergency READY Program and plan ahead. Creating an ERP Emergency Ready Profile through our mobile app that is available on any phone, tablet, or home PC can make a huge difference in the amount of time it takes to respond to your request for help.

The mobile app helps provide you with a method of cataloging belongings and filling out insurance paperwork necessary to get your restoration started. It identifies SERVPRO as your emergency service provider and helps provide information that makes it easier to begin work on your property. The app connects you directly to your local office and provides technicians with access to information they might not have otherwise.

Having a pre-existing relationship with a company you trust gives you a better chance at recovering quickly during an emergency. Our services are available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, making us ready anytime you need us.  

Contact SERVPRO of Canoga Park to receive assistance throughout the surrounding area, including West Hills, today. (818) 998-1500

Info on education in Canoga Park here.

Assessment and Planning Before Mold Remediation in Canoga Park

10/21/2016 (Permalink)

Mold Remediation in Canoga Park Gets Help from SERVPRO

SERVPRO Mold Damage in Canoga Park - What to Look for and What's Next

Before we start to break out the cleaners, change filters or (especially) start knocking down drywall, our inspectors need to know exactly where and how far a mold infestation has gone.

To determine how far mold damage has gotten in a Canoga Park home, SERVPRO sends in an inspector trained to the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards. Immediately on arrival, we will ask you the following questions:
1. Have you seen any mold contamination yourself?
2. Do you or have you smelled a strong musty odor?
3. Have you had previous problems with mold, no matter what the size of the contamination?
4. When did your water damage occur?
5. Have you seen any mold in your HVAC system?
If you answer yes to any of these questions and give permission, we'll begin an inspection of your home immediately. We have meters that measure air quality and allow us to quickly zone in on the source of the mold.

Once that is determined, we'll quickly deploy our remediation crew to isolate the mold infested areas. If your HVAC system is free of mold, the first thing we'll do is seal the vents to prevent any possible contamination from the cleaning process.
Next, we'll set up a series of exhaust fans that will blow any loose spores out of your home as we clean out the infestation. If we don't do this, there is always the chance that airborne spores could settle into a previously unaffected room and begin the problem all over again. This negative pressure method is not always necessary to combat the remediation process.

With the fans in place, our technicians will use cleaners and anti-fungal agents to kill every spore we can find. If we suspect that the mold has gotten behind a wall or into crawl spaces, we have devices similar to bug bombs that will force anti-fungal agents into every nook and crack. Portable foggers can cover large expanses of enclosed areas.

If we need to remove damaged drywall or other property that can't be salvaged, our technicians will do that before they begin cleaning. This demolition helps to prevent missing areas that could be behind or underneath furniture from being treated. Drapes, curtains, and blinds will be removed and cleaned outside your home. Many remediation services, if not a result of massive fungi infestation, can limit extensive removal of window treatments.

Living in the San Fernando Valley is a dream for many people. A mold infestation can rapidly turn that dream into a nightmare. For SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills, getting you back into your home isn't just a job to us. Our employees and managers are all local residents, and we are dedicated to helping our neighbors regain that "California Dreamin'" as fast as we are able. Call us at (818) 998-1500 to get started.

Fire Damage Classes Explained

9/19/2016 (Permalink)

Being trained on how to use a fire extinguisher can be very helpful. Call SERVPRO to remediate any fire or associated water damage!

SERVPRO Can Remediate any Class of Fire Damage

When you call and report a fire, one of their questions will be – what caused the fire? The reason for this question is for the first-responders. Firefighters and EMS personnel will need to know how they will fight the fire and how to treat any injuries. Fires are fought based on many different factors, such as its source, its size, and types of things surrounding its location.
 
In September, fire damage in the Canoga Park area occurred when our neighborhood homeless shelter was extremely damaged by a fire that broke out behind the building. The shelter's wall, patio, and appliances storing food were destroyed. Thanks to our wonderful community, everyone came together and are helping to restore this great organization.
 
Fires are fought based on their class and category. The different classes of fires and how they are best contained are identified below:
 
• Class A Fires: These fires leave ash from items such as wood and paper. Water helps to extinguish these fires.
 
• Class B Fires: These fires are classified as combustible. This includes gasoline, oil, etc. These fire fighting techniques must use a chemical that smothers their effects, taking oxygen away from it.
 
• Class C Fires: These fires are caused by electrical sources. Carbon dioxide methods are used by firefighters to put the fires out quickly.

• Class D Fires: These fires are caused by metal objects exploding or combusting. A dry powder agent is best used to smother and take away its power of heat absorption so that it can be stopped before spreading.

• Class K Fires: These fires are the most common because they generally start in a kitchen. They are caused by cooking. Firefighters use a specialized extinguishing agent called Purple K, just like the kind in your fire extinguisher.

First-responders always advise homeowners and business owners to keep fire extinguishers nearby. Fire extinguishers are also sold in classes to help extinguish a fire in residential and/or commercial areas:

Class A: paper, wood, plastic, etc.
Class B: flammable liquids
Class C: flammable gases
Class D: metals (aluminum, titanium, magnesium, etc.)
Class E: electrical fires
Class F: cooking fires.
 
Fire extinguishers are extremely useful if you are near a small fire when it first erupts. However, if your fire is large and you have no control, call SERVPRO to help in your restoration process. We are locally owned and operated meaning that we live and work in the California community. We are professionally staffed with trained technicians and advanced fire restoration equipment. Contact us at any time.
 
SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for water, fire, mold or storm emergency disasters. You can count on us to be available whenever you need help. Call us today at (818) 998-1500 and let us introduce our remediation services.

How Water Damage Can Reach the Ceiling

8/21/2016 (Permalink)

Water Damage Can Occur on the Ceiling or on Any Part of Your Home, Call SERVPRO Quickly to Remediate!

SERVPRO Can Remediate Water Damage in Every Part of Your Home

Contrary to popular belief, it is relatively easy to damage your ceiling with water. Although water naturally flows downwards and does not typically stay in high places for long, ceilings are often made of porous materials which can absorb any water that does reach them, and sustain damage from water leaks above them. Other sources of water damage, including water heaters, appliance leaks, or storm damage, may also reach up and affect the ceilings of a home, although, in these cases, the ceiling damage is typically far from the most pressing issue.
 
Pipe Leaks
 
Many pipes cross over the ceilings of rooms to reach other parts of a home, particularly in two-story homes. When water damage hits West Hills ceilings, it is most often due to a pipe leak of some kind, whether in an attic or on the second floor. Regardless, it can be understandably tricky for a homeowner to dry out a ceiling, which is critical in stopping damage spread, staining, and mold growth. We use industrial-grade drying machinery and tools to reach all corners of a room, including ceilings, if necessary.
 
Second Floor Flooding
 
Flooding may sometimes happen on the second floor of a home, most often due to a sink or bathtub left on. This water may seep through flooring, soaking into and even dripping through the ceiling below. This represents a serious source of damage and is often one of the most intensive restoration projects we can perform on a water damaged ceiling.
 
Storms and First-Floor Problems
 
Some water damage on the floor and spaces below may also reach up to the ceiling. A typical example is interior rain damage, and if driving rain somehow gets into your home, it has a good chance of also soaking the ceilings. Other problems, such as busted appliances, can also lead to small or medium-scale ceiling water damage.
 
SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills prioritizes fast response times to any call we receive, so as to stop further damage and get to work restoring your home as quickly as possible after any water damage disaster. Give us a call 24/7 at (818) 998-1500.

First-Class Cleanup for Water Damage

6/8/2016 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO to Restore Your Bell Canyon Water Damaged Property

Call Us at SERVPRO for Expert Water Damage Restoration

If you are struggling with the decision of whether to restore or rebuild your property in the wake of water damage in Bell Canyon, you may think your options are limited. However, this is not the case. You can call upon the services of a professional residential water damage cleanup service to address the emergency and restore your home to its original condition.

Prompt Service for Bell Canyon Residential Water Damage
We offer quick service to restore your property in the event of a severe water damage emergency. Whether the damage was due to a flash flood, sewage system backup or other malfunction, it's good to know the number of a local cleanup and restoration service like SERVPRO. The initial problem must be resolved before it has a chance to cause other issues.

Why You Need to Control Your Water Damage Issue Immediately
Once the water has been extracted from your property, you may think that it's perfectly safe to go back inside and carry on your life as usual. However, the reality is very different. Even though a cursory cleanup can leave your home seemingly high and dry, serious issues may still lurk just beneath the surface. We use the latest technology and equipment to dry your home, detect hidden moisture and extract standing water quickly.

Mold and Bacteria Are Silent and Serious Dangers
Mold and bacteria growth can occur in the least visited corners of your home. They can take hold in areas, such as your AC and water filtration systems, and cause health effects before you're even aware of what is going on. The full extent of the consequences of untreated mold and bacteria may not be revealed until months after the initial emergency. Instead of being blindsided by such menaces, it's best to engage the services of a professional water damage restoration team. We will take the time to check every nook and cranny of your property to ensure that the potential for such issues is fully rooted out.

Call Us Today to Address Your Bell Canyon Residential Water Damage Issues
We are a locally owned and operated business that is here for you 24 hours a day, and our technicians have extensive cleaning and restoration training. Our business also services the surrounding area, including Winnetka and Bell Canyon. Whether your water damage was caused by flooding, a burst water main or another mishap, we can apply the appropriate cleanup measures in a prompt and effective manner to make your home a fit place for your family to dwell in once more. Call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 to reach us at any time of the day or night.

West Hills Water Damage--from a Leaking Foundation

5/10/2016 (Permalink)

A Well Constructed Foundation May Prevent Water Damage in West Hills

Foundation Problems Can Lead to Serious West Hills Water Damage

Foundations take an especially hard beating by water, as they are partially or entirely buried in damp soil all the time. They are the areas of your home which are in continual contact with water, and unfortunately, can be a cause of water damage in West Hills. If rain water is not properly diverted and controlled, it can inflict a large amount of damage to the foundation of your home, even possibly compromising the structural integrity of the foundation.

The purpose of a slab foundation is to give weight-bearing support to a building. It is made of concrete and fits over footings which are also made of concrete. The footings usually anchor to the slab with reinforced steel bars or rebar. Under the foundation, soil should be leveled and able to create a moisture barrier between the home and the ground. Some of the problems with slab foundations come from them being constructed improperly, water and sewage leaks underneath the slab or the movement of soil under the slab.

There are three main ways that water affects a foundation:
Hydrostatic Pressure 
This can cause more than just a leak in your basement. When water over-saturates the soil around the foundation, the result is hydrostatic pressure, which can push the walls inward, making them bow and crack. This can happen suddenly, over time, or during a period of torrential rains.
Expanding Soils
Clay-rich soils in some areas will expand when they are drenched with water, which puts an enormous amount of pressure on the foundation walls. This will make them crack, shift or bow.
Erosion
Underground springs and rainwater can wash the soil which supports the foundation slowly, creating foundation settlement. Early signs of settlement are not always obvious, and can be easily dismissed until they’ve become serious enough for the intervention of a professional. Signs of this type of water damage include unlevel or uneven floors, sinking, windows and doors which don’t close properly, tilting chimneys and cracks in drywall.

Excess Moisture
When water is not properly drained away from the house, it can contribute to water and West Hills water damage under your slab. Downspouts that are disconnected or the lack of gutters let excess water dump onto the soil near the foundation in heavy rainstorms. The soil will become over-saturated without the proper drainage. Landscaped beds and poor areas around the foundation don’t flow away from your home and add to drainage issues as well.
Any leaks under a slab foundation can present problems with West Hills water damage because of the excess moisture that can seep into your home. It could also cause lifting of the affected area, which pushes the soil up and affects the stability of the slab. Foundation problems with your home, once they’ve started, many times lead to more problems. They can be related directly to sheetrock cracks, floors that are uneven, mold in the basement, and can decrease the value of your property. Leaking water under a slab foundation will need the immediate attention of a professional service.

Get in touch with SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills if you suspect you have a water leak under your foundation. Just call (818) 998-1500 so that they can come and evaluate your situation.

Canoga Park Water Damage--Call An Expert for Advice and Help

4/4/2016 (Permalink)

Water Drops Can Be a Problem for a Canoga Park Property--Call SERVPRO for Help

SERVPRO'S Expertise Can Salvage Your Water Damaged Canoga Park Home

No matter what caused it, you have Water Damage in your Canoga Park structure. That means many things, but for you, it means this is the time to call a company that specializes in residential water damage restoration. There are some tasks you can do, but some of the most critical matters need the attention of a trained, experienced crew that does this every day.

Tasks that must completed quickly can be listed along with the skill sets needed and you can determine what you can do and what needs the professional attention to detail available with a phone call to SERVPRO.

1. Since water can move everywhere, within your home, the technician has to inspect everywhere. This includes all crawlspaces, attics, closets, storage areas and behind, under and above suspicious areas. Special equipment, designed to locate water and moisture have to be utilized to find this liquid in between walls. Some devices are moisture meters, hygrometers for relative humidity, and infrared imaging cameras. This inspection must locate any damage done by water and molds and to find hidden moisture pockets.
 
2. Submersible pumps may have to be used for the standing water in places such as the basement or crawlspaces. After that, powerful wet vacuums must be used to remove any more water from the carpets, throw rugs and inside the walls where this water has accessed. Mops and buckets are always at the ready.

3. Industry grade air movers are placed to get air circulating and increase the rate of evaporation to enhance the drying process. Dehumidifiersare necessary to help the following actions by drying the air and contributing to elimination moisture.

4. Did you check with your insurance agent to see if you are covered by this water damaging event? Don't assume you are.

5. The building materials that may have to be discarded, such as porous drywall and ceiling tile, must be wrapped and disposed of in designated places around the city that accept this type of contaminated materials. SERVPRO can provide a report--the CCIS--that inventories salvageable and non-salvageable items and materials.

6. The cleaning, after removal of the water and any evidence of mold growth, must be complete and thorough to help prevent re-contamination and getting your house back to a clean and sanitary condition.

7. Restoration means to make the house look like it did before all of this damage occurred. This might mean replacing drywall and finishing it professionally. It can also mean doing some painting on walls, ceilings, baseboards or woodwork. Whatever it takes to restore your water damaged home to its pre-loss condition, SERVPRO has the training, expertise, and equipment to accomplish the work to your satisfaction.

If you encounter water damage in your Canoga Park home and you do not feel you are up to the job, call SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills at (818) 998-1500 for an inspection and a rapid resolution of your problems.

Winnetka Mold Damage Calls for Professional Help

3/16/2016 (Permalink)

Mold Containment Is a Vital Step in Remediation

SERVPRO Remediates the Mold Damage to Your Winnetka Property

Winnetka mold damage is a serious issue. These fungi and mold spores can affect the quality of the air in your home. Mold produce mycotoxins and mold spores that cause health effects. Here are the top 10 steps to eradicate damage caused by mold.

1. Consider hiring a certified mold remediation company to rid your home of mold successfully. More than a 10 square foot patch indicates a heavy infestation.

2. Find all sources that could be extending your problem. For example, check for flooding, leaks in voids or under cabinets, or areas where puddles of water can be absorbed into carpeting or porous drywall.

3. Using a store bought test kit gives inconsistent results. Hiring a professional company like SERVPRO ensures that mold infestation points will be discovered, if present. If you visually see mold colonies or smell that strong, musty odor, there is no need for mold testing. Inspections should be for the discovery of colonies, sources of the water leaks that allow for mold blooming, and an action plan for mold remediation.

4. Monitor yourself and others for any health symptoms. If there is a strong odor of mold or large visible growth, consider temporarily staying in a safer place until the remediation is completed.

5. If you vacate your home or business, do not take any personal belongings with you until items have been decontaminated. SERVPRO technicians will set up containment barriers to isolate infested areas thereby reducing the likelihood of cross-contamination and spreading of mold spores to new areas of the structure.

6. Our IICTC-certified technicians wear protective biohazard suits, booties, gloves, and a mask complete with a HEPA filtration system.

7. We do not use bleach to kill mold. Specially formulated cleaning products help to attack and destroy the existing mold colonies while sanitizing the surfaces.

8. Technicians remove all materials to be salvaged and safely discard all mold damaged building materials by wrapping to prevent further contamination. We can pack and ship items to our facilities for cleaning and disinfecting in severe cases.

9. Air scrubbers help to remove airborne mold spores. Chemical and thermal foggers reach accessible and hidden pockets to destroy, disinfect, sanitize, and deodorize the structure.

10. A final inspection and walk-through verify the successful remediation of the mold infestation in your home.

SERVPRO technicians possess the industry leading equipment, expertise, and experience to once again return your home to a clean and healthy state. Winnetka mold damage is a serious issue that calls for a professional service so that when you and your family return home it will be "Like it never even happened."

We’re Highly Trained Mold Remediation Specialists

SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills specializes in water and mold damage restoration, the cornerstone of our business. We have the training and expertise to safely handle any mold situation in Winnetka, Canoga Park and Bell Canyon. Call us 24/7 to help. (818) 998-1500

How to Prevent Air Conditioner Water Damage in West Hills

2/15/2016 (Permalink)

Change the AIr Filter to Maintain Your HVAC Unit from Poor Air or Water Damage

Call SERVPRO for West Hills Water Damage Repair Services

Air conditioners are designed to provide homeowners with comfort and humidity control during the hot summer months. However, what many homeowners do not realize is that some air conditioning systems can lead to water damage in their home. Typically, the damage is noticed too late for homeowners to be able to prevent it, and they need to contact West Hills water damage remediation experts to fix their home up again. Fortunately, you can learn to identify the signs of air conditioner water damage and prevent it from marring your home.

A good way to avoid West Hills residential water damage from an air conditioner is to change the system's air filter at least once or twice a month. During the replacement, you can also check your moisture levels and determine whether or not there is too much water in the area. With clean air filters, homeowners also help prevent their HVAC systems from working too hard, which usually leads directly to an increase in water waste from the unit and higher electric bills.

In addition to making sure that the system remains clean, it is important to have an expert service the unit at least once a year. Specialists can find water damage that you may overlook, and they have the tools necessary to deal with minor problems before they become large concerns. They can inspect the interior of the unit to make sure that there is no built-up dirt, algae, or other signs of damage, and a yearly inspection is often all that's necessary to keep the system functioning as needed.

SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills can help you manage just about all types of damage, whether you need to have your West Hills water damage handled or your property inspected for mold damage. Our specialists are always standing by, and they can help make sure that your current water damage is taken care of as quickly as possible. No matter what type of damage your home is experiencing, call us at (818) 998-1500 to discover your options today.

Professional Fire Damage Restoration Services for West Hills

12/8/2015 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Says Smoky the Bear and YOU Can Prevent Fires

West Hills Fire Damage Info from SERVPRO

As industry experts know, house fires cost homeowners billions of dollars in damages each year. In many cases, residential property owners spend more than they have to on West Hills fire damage restoration because they do not hire high quality, fast-acting fire damage restoration services. However, you can avoid spending excess money on repairs by securing a team of trained remediation experts as soon as the fire is extinguished. SERVPRO offers the following to shed more light on the advantages of obtaining professional fire damage remediation help.

First Call to Your Insurance Company. Have an adjuster survey the damage and then okay repairs. SERVPRO, a preferred vendor for many insurance companies and management companies, can also meet with your adjuster to develop a cost-effective and comprehensive plan to restore your West Hills home and minimize the loss of personal possessions.

Fire Damage Restoration Professionals Utilize Specialized Equipment
Often large volumes of water must first be removed due to the extinguishing of the house fire. Heavy duty water pumps, wet vacs, and sump pumps are available on our trucks. Then powerful chemical cleansers, ozone generators, specialized air-moving machines, and industrial-strength dehumidifiers are employed for specific tasks. Remediation experts can use this equipment quickly and correctly to ensure that the restoration process is thorough and effective.

Multiple Contractors Speed Up The Fire Damage Restoration Process. Another benefit of procuring professional fire damage restoration services is that doing so speeds up the process. SERVPRO, along with its trained crews, can also work with outside contractors. Because multiple experts are working on structural repair aspects of the project simultaneously, the restoration completion time is shortened substantively. The fact that the restoration experts can focus on the cleanup work with expediency is important because eliminating excessive water mitigates the onset of mold growth. Preventing mold growth mitigates ongoing exposure to the fungi that may cause health concerns.

Choosing The Right Fire Damage Restoration Professionals
Look for a name of distinction to relieve the stress and limit your expenses.
• IICRC-certified professionals, water, smoke and soot cleanup
• an A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB rating)
• great online reviews
• a proven track record
• cutting edge equipment, Ultra Light Volume foggers to destroy (not mask) smoke odors, and then deodorize
• advanced methodologies, with on-site cleaning and facility storage and cleaning options
• comprehensive services, from start to completion you are in the loop with guaranteed results

Call SERVPRO Immediately if your West Hills property has been impacted by fire damage. Smoke and soot can often be the most problematic issues confronted.  Sometimes serious experience and equipment are needed to salvage your personal possessions and memorabilia. Trust SERVPRO to makes things right.

Locally Owned, with National Resources

SERVPRO of Canoga Park/West Hills is locally owned and operated so we are part of the West Hills community too. When you have a water or flood emergency, we’re already nearby and ready to help. (818) 998-1500